Jackie's New Slave
by KaraSkinner
Summary: When Hyde finds out Bud owes money to Jackie's dad, Jack Burkhart makes a deal with him: he will cancel Bud's debt if Hyde goes to be Jackie's slave.
1. Chapter 1

Steven woke up to the sound of Bud pleading from outside. "I'll have the money for you," Bud was saying. "I promise."

"You promised that last time," a man's voice said. It sounded strangely familiar to Steven, but he couldn't quite place it. "This time, we're going to have to make sure you get the message."  
Steven sighed and got up, grabbing his wallet off of his nightstand. So much for his hard-earned money going to something that mattered, like beer and pot. He was going to kill Bud for ever stepping into a damn casino. "Hey!" he shouted as he walked down the hall to the living room."Wait a second."

Bud's arms were pinned behind his back by a strong burly guy. Another was in front of him, holding a knife. A shorter man dressed in a suit was watching, an arrogant smirk on his mouth.

Steven opened his wallet and tossed the two hundred dollars in cash at the man's feet. "We'll get you the rest. Now get lost."

"Steven, this has nothing to do with you," Bud shouted at him. "Go back to bed."

Steven glared at his father. "It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

The businessman frowned. "Hold on. Steven Hyde?"

He scowled. "Yeah. What of it? Just take the money and get out of here."

The man looked thoughtfully at him. "My daughter, Jackie, likes you."

Shock ran through him at what he said. Not that Jackie liked him. She had made that painfully clear by practically stalking him. But Bud owed money to Jackie's dad? What were the fucking odds?

Mr. Burkhart smirked. "Perhaps an arrangement can be made after all," he said. He looked Steven up and down in a way that made his skin crawl.

"Look, I don't know what you're thinking, but the answer's no," Steven snapped.

"Your father owes thirty grand to me," Burkhart said. "And I know that I'm not the only one he owes money to."

Steven looked at Bud, surprised. He knew his dad was in trouble and had a bad gambling addiction that replaced his drinking addiction. But he didn't know how bad it was.

"Your father isn't going to be able to take care of you for much longer," Mr. Burkhart said.

"Big surprise," Steven said. "Do you have a damn point yet, or can I go back to bed?"

"Instead of going down with him, why don't you move in with my family? My daughter likes you, after all. If you do everything she tells you to do, then you can stay in my mansion, which is certainly better accommodations than you are used to. Or deserve." He looked around the apartment with disdain.

Hyde crossed his arms. "What are you saying? You'll forgive my dad's debts if I come and be Jackie's _slave_?" He couldn't think of a more hellish idea.

"Yes, if you want to be so crass about it." He motioned to his henchmen. The one holding Bud jerked one of Bud's hands up. "If you refuse, then my associates here cut off your dad's thumb."

"Wait," Hyde said. "Fine, I'll go." He glared at his father who looked helplessly back. There was some guilt and shame in his eyes, as there should be. He had failed twice as a father because of his own stupidity and addiction. He looked down at his sweatpants and undershirt. "Can I at least grab a jacket before I join the booming and vibrant industry of human trafficking?"  
Mr. Burkhart sighed. "You have five minutes. And watch your mouth. Especially around my daughter."

Hyde rolled his eyes as he went to his room. He should tell Mr. Burkhart all about how his precious daughter almost got arrested for possession a few months ago. Maybe then he wouldn't care what Hyde said around her.

He grimaced and got out his green duffel bag before throwing all his clothes into it. He didn't need five minutes to pack when he owned so few clothes. He grabbed his jacket and put on his sunglasses before going back out. The thugs had released Bud and were flanking Mr. Burkhart while he waited.

This was so sick and twisted. Only a few hours ago, everything was normal and boring in Point Place. And now he was enslaved by the girl that had been crushing on him for months. How the fuck did that happen?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks, everyone for the reviews! I hope to get more up soon!

Jackie was up late doing homework.. She had a huge project for Economics that was already practically ruining her life. Not only was it cutting into all of her time with her friends, but it was really cutting into her spa time. Her skin was drying out and her muscles were all bunched because of how little time she got to spend at the spa!

She heard her dad's Lincoln drive up and she grinned. He was home! Finally! He was only home for a day and he had spent half of it out on business errands. Now that he was back, maybe she could finally talk to him a little before he went. She shoved aside her textbooks and put on her pink unicorn slippers before going downstairs. "Daddy, guess what? I-" her voice faded when she saw Steven with him. His gaze was shielded by his sunglasses, but he looked upset. Really upset. "Steven," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprise, kitten!" Her father said, kissing her on the forehead. "He's your new present! I know you wanted me to buy you something shiny again, but I thought this surprise was a million times better."

Her brow furrowed. "I don't understand. Did Steven auction a date with himself off at a charity fundraiser?" That didn't sound like him but it was the best she could think of. Maybe Mrs. Forman made him enter, or something.

"No," Steven snapped, glaring at her. "Why would you even think that?"

"Hey," her father snapped. "I told you to watch your tone with my kitten." He turned back to Jackie with a patronizing smile. "His father owed me a lot of money, kitten. We worked out an arrangement. His debts were forgiven, and I got Steven, who I'm giving to you." He gave Steven a hard push on the back to bring him closer to Jackie, but Steven didn't move an inch. With his arms crossed and his feet apart like they were, no one could push him around. Steven turned and glared at her father, who took a step back and paled a little. Jackie didn't blame him. If she understood what her father was implying, then he should be afraid of Steven. Steven had every right to kick his ass, and he definitely had the ability to.

She looked at Steven- the love of her life- and sighed. There was no way he would like her back now


	3. Chapter 3

Mr. Burkhart disappeared quickly, saying something about packing for a flight, leaving Steven and Jackie alone. Steven glared down at her. "You really are the devil, aren't you."  
"Steven, I'm so sorry. You have to believe I would never want this." She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I mean, think about it! If you're here all the time, then you'll see me when I'm not wearing makeup. Why would I want that?"

He remained silent, trying to keep his temper in check. Jackie might be a pest with crazy ideas of loving him, but she wasn't the real one at fault here. Her dad was.

Jackie glanced behind her in the direction of her father's room before turning back to him. "Look, I have an idea. Daddy will leave tonight on a business trip. After he leaves, you can go home. He'll be gone for like a month. By the time he's back, he'll probably have forgotten all about you."

Steven frowned. Mr. Burkhart was just leaving him alone with Jackie for a month? Sure, the man knew that Jackie liked him, but the two of them had never even met before. And he didn't exactly look like an upstanding citizen, like Eric or Kelso. He looked like a degenerate who wouldn't think twice about hurting Jackie. He highly doubted that Jack Burkhart was secretly perceptive and knew that Hyde wouldn't hurt Jackie. He probably just didn't care enough.

Steven tried to ignore the twinge of anger he felt at that thought. After all, it was _Jackie_. She was rich, mean, and shallow. She probably didn't care what her father did as long as he kept buying her shiny presents. Or illegal presents, like him.

Jackie led him up to her room, on the third floor of the mansion. Steven couldn't help but look around as he went. He had never seen a home so huge with so many rooms. Why the hell did a family of three need so much space?

Her room was blindingly pink. Pink walls, pink carpet, pink bedding. Stuffed animals were arranged carefully on her bed and girlie posters covered the walls. Textbooks were strewn all over the bed, as if she had been doing homework before her dad came home. Steven looked at the door and frowned when he saw the door latch was broken. "What happened here?" he asked, looking at it.

She glanced at the door and a blank look went on her face. Steven cursed himself for ever teaching her zen. "Oh, there was a break in a few nights ago," she said. "The door just hasn't been fixed yet."

"Somebody tried to enter your room?" He looked at her but she was still zen. She must be still scared and jumpy if she was using it now. "What happened?"

She shrugged and sat down on her bed. "I don't know, he was just looking for valuables and he thought this room was empty. But when he came in, I woke up and started singing ABBA at him." She grinned, finally breaking the zen. "I really scared him off."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. I've heard your singing."

She stuck her tongue out at him before gesturing to a nearby armchair in what looked like a reading corner. "Sit down. I'm going to go talk to Daddy while he packs."

"Cool." At least he could have a few minutes of peace and quiet before she started talking his ear off.

He sat down in the corner, looking at the bookshelves surrounding it. There was a lot of _Nancy Drew_ mysteries and romance novels with a few random classics thrown in. Her current read was lying on the floor next to the chair. _The Pirate and the Princess._ He snorted. Figures. That's probably why she was so obsessed with him. She kept reading stupid novels that tried to turn Stockholm Syndrome into love.

A few minutes later Jackie came back in, looking disappointed. "Daddy already left," she said quietly. "When I went to his room he was gone."

Steven winced. He knew from experience how much that sucked. "I'm sorry," he said.

She shrugged. "He works hard. Of course he took an earlier flight so he could go make more money and get even richer." She smiled brightly. "Anyway, it looks like you can go, now. Daddy always leaves his Lincoln behind for me to use. Do you need a ride back?"  
"Yeah, uh, about that." He cleared his throat. "Is your mom or anyone around?"

She shook her head. "Martina, our housekeeper, goes home at night. And Mom's in Paris at the moment. It's just me."

He sighed. He was seriously going to regret this. "Look, I'm not going to leave you alone in this mansion when you don't even have a functioning door. So- just for tonight- I'll sleep over."

"Oh my god," she grinned and then threw her arms around his neck. "You're going to stay over to protect me! That's so romantic, Steven!"

Yep. He regretted this.

Jackie stepped back and looked at him with a lovestruck face. "Okay, I'll go make us some hot cocoa, and then we can talk about stuff. It'll be just like a slumber party."

He grimaced. "Jackie, I don't do slumber parties unless it has something to do with porn or sweaty naked girl pillow fights. And I don't want any hot cocoa either. I'd rather just sleep."

She pouted. "Come on…"

"No."

"Fine." She moved the textbooks off the bed and opened up the covers. She patted it in invitation. "Here. You can go to bed."

He scowled. "I'm not sleeping with you. I'm only here because I don't want your murder on my conscience if I go home tonight."

"I'm not going to sleep in the bed with you, silly. I'm Jackie Burkhart. I'm not an easy tramp like Pam Macy or Laurie." She went to her closet and pulled out a frilly pink sleeping bag. "I'm sleeping in this." She spread it out on the floor.

Hyde raised an eyebrow. Was Jackie actually trying to do something _nice_? "I'll take the floor. I'm not sleeping with stuffed animals and frilly pink blankets." He opened his duffel bag and grabbed his own sleeping bag. Even if Jackie's sleeping bag was big enough to fit him- which he doubted- he wasn't sleeping in anything that was pink. He shoved her sleeping bag to the side and spread out his own. Hyde kicked off his boots and slid in before Jackie could argue.

She pouted. "That's not fair, Steven. You're the guest."

"Actually, this is extremely fitting. I'm your new personal slave, remember?"  
Jackie scowled. "You won't be. After tonight everything will go back to normal. Daddy probably won't even remember you once he comes back. He never remembers the gifts he gives me."

"Has he ever given you a person before?"  
"No. Well, maybe. When I was seven, I had like no friends because nobody could handle my superiority, so suddenly this girl, Leah, showed up and started living with us and we became great friends before she moved out one day. But now that I think about it, she did seem pretty miserable all the time. And shortly after she left, there was this big story on the news about how a missing girl had escaped her kidnappers and was returning home." She frowned. "Oh my god. My childhood best friend was a dirty poor slave. Gross!"

"Yeah, her poorness was why you still aren't besties."

"Hey, I'm sad for her situation, too. But it could have been way worse for her. She got to stay in a mansion and be best friends with me. What more would she have wanted?"

"Uh, her freedom?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Anyway, the point is, Daddy didn't really seem to care or remember when she was gone, so I doubt he'll remember you going."

"Cool," he said, nodding. He looked up at Jackie thoughtfully. Compared to her dad, she actually turned out all right. He used to think she had a perfect family with loving parents who loved and spoiled her. But if they were fine leaving her alone after somebody broke into her room, then clearly things weren't as hunky dory in her life as she tried to make it out to be.

Jackie slipped under her huge comforter. "Goodnight," she said, turning out the light."

"Night."

"Oh, and Steven? Thank you," she said, her voice small.

Steven smiled in the darkness. "Anything for you, doll," he whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! I'm going to try to be better about updating. Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!**

Hyde woke up the next morning before Jackie did. He got up and rolled his sleeping back up, putting it back into his bag before grabbing a change of clothes. Not that he had any idea what to do with them when he didn't even know where the damn bathroom was. He had never even been near the Burkhart mansion before today. He liked to stay as far away from the rich neighborhood as possible. The residents would take one look at him and think he was the staff or something.

Jackie stirred slightly in her sleep. He smiled. When she wasn't talking she was kind of cute. That was probably why no one had ever told her to shut her pie hole.

He sighed and reclined in the armchair. He didn't want her to wake up to find him gone, so he might as well stick around. Actually, he didn't find any burning need to get the hell out of there anyway. Spending the night in her room wasn't any worse than bowling. And he didn't hate bowling. He smiled and sat, lost in thought while Jackie slept.

When Jackie woke up, she smiled at him and stretched. "Morning," she said. "I'll have Martina make us some breakfast. Then I'll take you home."

"That's cool."

Jackie put a fluffy robe over her pajamas and flounced out of the room. Steven hurried to change clothes while she was gone. While he waited, he looked at her books, for lack of anything better to do. He picked up _The Pirate and the Princess_ and read the back.

 _Princess Victoria has it all… fine clothes, money, and is the most desirable maiden in the kingdom. And yet she still thinks something is missing. There's no adventure in her life. After all, a princess's life is completely chosen for her. And she can't make her own path._

 _Her chance to escape her fate comes in the hands of dashing rogue, Captain Jack Rivers, a feared pirate who ruled the seas. When he and his men board a royal ship, he spots Princess Victoria and knows he has to have her. Perhaps, on the open sea, captive and captor will develop a connection that could withstand the tides of time._

"Unbelievable," he muttered to himself.

"Ooh," Jackie said, coming into the room. "That book is so good. It's about-"

"I read the back," he said. "It's complete trash. How is this a love story?"

She frowned. "Because she loves Jack because he's the only one ever to see her as anything more than a princess. And he loves her because she could see past his reputation and saw him for the good man he really was. And even though he kidnaps her and takes her on his ship, he loves her and would never really do her harm." She smiled to herself. "It's so romantic."

"It's not romantic, Jackie. This pirate is a bad guy. It's in his nature to be an asshole. He'll never deserve her, and the only way he got her is by kidnapping her and letting Stockholm Syndrome do the rest. If this was anything like real life, Victoria would end up being beaten and raped by him before getting tossed overboard and drowned." He tossed the book back on the ground and stood up. Why the hell had he lost his temper over a stupid book?

"Oh, Steven," she said. "It's not always like that in real life and you know it. Why do you look down so much on love?"  
"That's not love, Jackie. Men like Captain Jack Rivers are incapable of love. It's how they were raised and what they are."

"How can you say that?" She demanded. "You know better than anyone that's not true. After all, you…." she broke off and looked at her feet.

"Say it, Jackie," he said. Steven looked at her intently. His sunglasses were off so she could see everything he was thinking. Maybe he might finally end her stupid crush on him once and for all. "Say it," he said hoarsely.

"How can you say that they're incapable of love when you were raised by Bud and Edna? You should know better than anyone that that isn't…" her brow furrowed. "You think you're not capable of love?" She asked quietly.

"Well you did say I know better than anyone. So what do you think?" He turned away from her, not wanting to see the hurt and disappointment on her face.

"I think you're full of crap, Steven," she whispered.

He turned back around, shock running through him. "Yeah, because admitting to not knowing how to love is so damn classy, Jackie. I'm not the guy you've built up in your head."  
"I haven't built anything up. I see you for who you are. If you're such a degenerate, then why did you go to jail for me, huh?" She raised her eyebrows. "You didn't even do anything wrong and yet you still took the fall for the pot. You wouldn't even rat me out after Mr. Forman kicked you out. How is a man willing to do that incapable of love, hm?"  
He glared at her. Of course he covered for her. She had her entire future to lose by going to jail. What did he have to lose? It wasn't like he was ever going to get an Ivy League education or even a college acceptance letter. But just because he had saved her butt then didn't mean they would work out. "If you really know me, then you wouldn't have signed me up for roller disco that night."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Just forget it, Steven. This fight is stupid." She walked out of the room. After a short pause, Steven followed her. He wondered if he finally got through to her about his crush. Probably not. Jackie was as stubborn as hell.

He followed her downstairs to a dining room, where platters of French toast, bacon, and eggs were laid out with place settings for two. Jackie was sitting on one side of the table, pouring maple syrup over her french toast. She didn't look up when he came in.

Hyde sat down, his stomach rumbling. He hadn't seen breakfast look so nice since he lived with the Formans. Breakfast at Bud's was maybe a slice of peanut butter toast with stale bread, but usually there wasn't anything more than a beer for breakfast. Which did get old after awhile, surprisingly.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Steven said. "It's stupid of me to get worked up over a book."

"Forget about it," she said, smiling sweetly. "It doesn't matter. I know the only reason you got so mad is because of your own insecurities with yourself."

 _Damn it._ "Jackie-"

"No, Steven, you don't have to say anything. And I think it's sweet that you're trying to warn me off for my own good."

He groaned. Of course she would think that.

They ate the rest of breakfast in silence before Jackie went up to get showered and changed. Steven ended up helping and talking with Martina, the housekeeper. She was a friendly middle-aged woman who was happy to give him a tour and was grateful for the help.

"Thank you, Steven," she said as he helped her clear the dishes. "I really appreciate the help." She looked exhausted with dark circles under her eyes. If she had to take care of the whole mansion, then any help at all was probably a huge relief.

"Not a problem," he said. "Aren't there other servants here, though? I thought the Burkharts would have a whole army working for them."

She smiled as she started to wash the dishes. "No," she said. "Not anymore at least. With Mr. and Mrs. Burkhart gone so much, they couldn't justify having twenty or so servants. I'm actually only supposed to come in twice a week to do cleaning and to make sure the house is functioning properly, but I just can't leave Ms. Burkhart alone like that. She's like a daughter to me. I would hate to see her…" she bit her lip and Steven knew she was going to say _abandoned_. Jackie's parents had abandoned her.

Martina's hands shook slightly as she put some dishes away and one almost slipped from her grasp. Steven quickly steadied her. "Why don't you get some rest while I finish up?" he suggested. "It's the least I can do after you made such an excellent breakfast."

She beamed at him. "You're such a nice young man. I'm glad Jackie has you looking after her. Thank you." She left a second later, leaving Steven alone with the dishes.

Steven sighed as he continued with washing and drying the dishes. Yeah, Jackie did have him to look after her. Whether he wanted to or not.

He continued thinking about it all as he finished cleaning up. He knew Jackie wouldn't make him stay another night. She expected him to leave. But he kept thinking about what Martina had said. Her parents had essentially abandoned her. The only reason why Jackie wasn't alone all day was because Martina cared enough about her to stick around when she wasn't even being paid to. How long would that last, though? Martina was clearly exhausted and needed a break. When would she get too burned out to do that extra work? And Jackie was still alone at night.

Steven sighed. The house looked empty and abandoned to everyone on the outside. That made it a target for more looters. He knew how burglars thought. After all, he had done a few burglaries himself in years past and was related to more than a few professionals. Jackie was in danger as long as she was there alone. He couldn't leave her.

He found Jackie in her room, doing homework. She looked up at him. "Oh my god, Steven, I'm so sorry. I know I should have given you a ride home already, but I totally forgot. This Economics assignment has been seriously weighing on my mind and I might have it done quickly."

"That's cool," he said. "Look, uh, I've been thinking, and I figured I might as well stay here for a few days in one of the guest rooms or something. Until your parents come back."

Jackie looked up at him. "Oh my god, you're worried about me." She grinned.

"No," he said. "I'm not. Martina just makes a great breakfast. And if I'm not mistaken, she's the one you got the pot from. So I figured if I stay here I get free food and easy drugs."

"You could get that from Leo and from the Formans," she said. "So I know you're doing this for me. Thank you, Steven! You can have the room next to mine. This is going to be so great!"

He grimaced. Staying with Jackie wasn't exactly great, but leaving her to get murdered-or even worse- was not an option.

Jackie took a break from her homework to help him move into his new room. Not that it took much work. His entire wardrobe fit into one drawer of the guest room's antique dresser. He hid his stash in the mahogany nightstand and his boots and sleeping bag were tossed into the walk-in closet. Steven looked around his room with disdain. It practically screamed corruption and greed with all of the luxurious furniture. There was a canopy double bed pushed up to one side of the room, a black leather couch and coffee table on the other, and a black shag carpet on the floor. The dresser and nightstands were a matching antique set that were probably priceless. He just knew he was going to break something in here. _At least the walls aren't pink._ He could deal with the greyish blue color.

"So, now that you're moved in, what do you want to do?" Jackie asked.

"Let's just over to Forman's," Hyde said. He could use some normalcy after all this.

Cool," she smiled. "Let me just get my books."

Of course she was bringing homework.


	5. Chapter 5

Jackie let Steven drive the Lincoln. She kept sneaking glances at him while she drove. His zen was firmly in place, so she had no idea what he was thinking. _Damn it, why can't he yell again, or something?_ It was a lot easier not to be all over him when he was angry than when he was being nice and caring. But that was the problem. Even against his better judgement, Steven couldn't help but be caring and nice.

He was dressed in an old black Led Zeppelin t-shirt and faded jeans. It made him look like a scruffy poor person, of course, but at the same time it made him look fucking hot.

"Would you quit looking at me like I'm your eye candy?" Hyde snapped at her finally.

Jackie flushed. Of course he saw. "Eye candy? Oh please. Nobody would call you eye candy with those godawful side burns."

"These side burns are a gift from god." He smirked. "I should grow out the full beard. I'm the only one in the group who can."

"Ew, don't," she said. "It'll make you look like an old hobo."

"Good!"

She rolled her eyes but on the inside Jackie felt relieved. Irritable Hyde was normal. And a lot less hot than sweet and caring Hyde was. _But I still want him._

As soon as they got to the basement, Jackie settled on the couch between Donna and Fez while Hyde went to his chair on the other side of the couch. Donna looked between the two of them. "Why did you guys enter together?" she asked. "Did you guys _come_ here together?"  
"No," Hyde said. "Don't be ridiculous. Sometimes coincidences happen."

"Yeah, why would I want to be seen out in public with him? I have a reputation as a cheerleader." Jackie said. She groaned inwardly. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even though Steven had slept with half the squad in secret, she was probably the only cheerleader in Point Place who would do anything to go out in public with him.

"No, _I_ have a reputation to maintain," Hyde said. He raised an eyebrow at Jackie. "If I was seen with her, people might think I've turned into the type of guy who likes roller disco."

"Hey!" Fez said. "Don't insult what you don't know, Hyde. Roller disco is a place where men can become gods."

Everyone looked at him weirdly for a second before Donna shook her head and stood up. "Okay, something is happening between you two," she said, gesturing to Hyde and Jackie. "You're acting weird."

"Jackie's nuts, man," Hyde said. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"And Steven is clearly going through drug withdrawals," she said, glaring at him. "Moron."

"Psycho."

"Idiot."

"Brat."

"Enough!" Donna shouted. She rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache. "I don't know what the hell happened between the two of you, but it needs to stop. So, just stop." She ran out of the basement.

"What's her problem?" Hyde asked.

"I don't know," Fez said. "Probably something to do with her and Eric."

"No," Jackie said. "I bet it's her parents. She mentioned they were acting weird before." She would have to find Donna later and ask her about it, but at the moment, she had to finish her Economics homework. She pulled out her books while the boys went back to watching TV.

Just then the door opened and Michael came in. "You guys," he said. "The weirdest thing just happened."

"You glued your hand to your face again?" Hyde asked.

"No. I only did that once last night. God! No, I met up with this chick that I've been screwing behind Laurie's back, and after taking her to the mall and everything, she didn't want to do it. She said she wanted quality time with me. Since when is doing it not quality time?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. Why had she ever gone out with that tool?

"Kelso," Hyde said. "Doing it is never quality time to girls. They want to talk and share feelings and stuff. Doing it is the payment for the quality time you give them."

"Well, I'm not getting paid enough then!" he said. He looked over at Jackie. "Hey, Jackie," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Looking good. You wanna ditch these guys?"

"Back off, Michael!" She shouted, batting his hand away. "I'm doing homework."

"Since when do you have to do homework? Pretty people like us don't have to do homework."

Hyde frogged Kelso before Jackie could tell him off. "Ow!" Kelso said, rubbing his arm. "Damn, Hyde!"

"Go find Laurie if you want to get off," he shouted.

"Fine!" he said, getting off the couch. "I don't see what's the big deal about talking to my ex, but apparently you're sensitive about everything now." He stalked upstairs and Hyde reclined back in his chair.

Jackie smiled her thanks to him before turning back to her textbooks. But she couldn't help the blush that rose on her face or the tingles of pleasure in her stomach. He had protected her even when he didn't have to! She didn't care what Steven Hyde said about being incapable of love. He was totally capable, and he was the man of her dreams. She would get him no matter what.


	6. Chapter 6

After a week of living with Jackie, Hyde wanted to kill her. For so many reasons. The top reason at the moment was ABBA blasting out of Jackie's room.

Hyde sighed as he heard "Mamma Mia" playing for the thousandth time. He tossed the magazine he was trying to read aside and left his room, going next door. "Jackie! So help me god, I'm going to break that record!" he shouted as he opened the door.

Jackie hadn't noticed him. She was dancing around the room, singing into her hairbrush. In only pink, satin underwear.

"Mama mia! Here I go again!" She sang, swaying her hips. "My my! How can I resist ya! Mama mia! Does it show again? My my! Just how much I've missed ya!"

Steven stared at her way longer than he should have. Her singing and the music was like nerve gas to his ears. But if he blocked that out and focused on her dancing in her underwear, then she was incredibly sexy.

He was about to leave her to her dancing when she twirled and saw him. She gasped and then giggled, reaching for her robe. "Steven!" she said. "I didn't see you."

If most girls saw him watching them dance in their underwear, then they would be mortified and probably terrified too. Not Jackie. She flushed a little, but she was giggling and still dancing a little, not at all scared to be so vulnerable in front of him.

"Turn off that crap," he snapped. "How many times can you listen to that one song?"

She pouted and turned the record down. "How many times can you listen to Blue Oyster Cult?"  
"Hey! Blue Oyster Cult is the soundtrack of the revolution, man! And that shit is what we're fighting!"

"I thought you were fighting the government, not the sounds of love sung from the soul. You just don't get good music."

"I don't get good music? _You_ don't get good music. ABBA is from hell, man. And-"

"Not the cool part of hell, but the lame-ass part where all the really bad accountants live." Jackie rolled her eyes. "I know."

Hyde frowned and struggled to get his zen back into place to cover his shock. "I wasn't going to say that."

She snorted. "Yes you were. You said it in the circle last week. And I'm pretty sure you said it when that disco opened up in Kenosha."

"Whatever." Was he so predictable that even _Jackie_ could read him? No, he couldn't be. She just got lucky. "Just keep the music down or I'll break that record."

"No you wouldn't," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "You wouldn't do anything to hurt me because you love me, Steven! So you won't touch my ABBA collection."

Whatever drugs Jackie took to give her such delusions must be pretty damn good. "Breaking your ABBA records can only do you good, so I wouldn't be hurting you if I did break them."

Jackie grinned at him, triumphant. "Hah! You just admitted that you love me!"

"No!" God, where did she get that stuff?  
"You didn't deny it," she grinned at him.

"I don't love you!"

Jackie giggled. "Liar."

She was impossible. Just this little argument exhausted him. "Just change the damn record!" he shouted at her before storming out.

She giggled behind him.

 _Unbelievable. I've made guys shit themselves by yelling at them and she's_ giggling _at me._

He went back to his room and closed the door, sinking onto the leather couch with his magazine. At least he would have a little peace while she changed the record or started it over.

A second after he opened his magazine, Frank Sinatra started playing from the next room. He grimaced. Of course Jackie was playing more pansy music.

But as he listened, he started tapping his foot to the beat despite himself. He smiled slightly as he listened. Sinatra was no John Lee Hooker or anything. But he wasn't that bad.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, guys! I'll try to have the next one up soon. And thank you everyone for reviewing. Please let me know what you think of this chapter. Thanks!**

Jackie stared long and hard at herself in the mirror before fixing her eyeliner for the third time that morning. She needed to make sure she looked perfect. After twirling around in her dress for the fifth time and checking to make sure her hair was frizz free, she finally left her room.

Steven was downstairs in the kitchen, helping Martina make breakfast. Every time Jackie saw him cooking with her, she sighed. She had reminded him once that Martina was paid to make breakfast every day, not him, but he had acted all weird and then ignored her. She never mentioned it since.

Steven looked at her funny as he set the table. "You're more anal than usual about your appearance. Is there a modeling agency coming to town?"

"No," she scowled. "If you have to know, my mother's coming back for the day. I want to look presentable."

Martina beamed at her. "That's wonderful, Jackie," she said. "I'm sure she'll be so glad to see you."

Jackie smiled weakly back. She was looking forward to seeing her mom and had already planned out the day with her. But she doubted her mom really cared whether she saw Jackie or not. She had been disappointed in Jackie ever since she found out that Michael had cheated on her. Jackie knew she wouldn't get her mother's approval until she was able to get a rich boyfriend to fawn all over her.

"Thanks for the warning," Steven said as he finally sat down while Martina served them breakfast. "I'll leave before you guys start talking about manicures or whatever."

"Good. You shouldn't meet Mom anyway."

Hyde raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. "Whatever."

Jackie sighed. She knew that had come out wrong, but she didn't have time to obsess over Hyde's feelings for once. She could make it up to him later.

After breakfast, she checked to make sure that her makeup and hair was still perfect and that everything was in place. She had arranged at-home appointments with a massage therapist, manicurist, and pedicurist so the two of them could have perfect girl-time.

Jackie found Steven in the living room, watching television. "I'm going to go pick her up now," she said. "So now would be a good time to leave."

He turned off the TV and got up. "Whatever," he muttered. Even with the sunglasses, Jackie could tell he was pissed. She would have to explain to him later, but now was not the time.

They went to the front door, but just as Jackie was reaching for the knob, it opened, and Pam Burkhart was on the other side. She grinned at her daughter and pulled her in for a hug. "Oh darling, it's wonderful to see someone almost as pretty as me. My flight got in early, so I took a cab home."

Jackie smiled, ignoring the jibe as she hugged her mom, breathing in the familiar scent of lavender perfume. "It's good to see you too, Mom," she said.

Pam turned to Steven who was staring at her with a dumbstruck expression, taking in Pam's tanned body, blonde curls, and practically see-through dress. Jackie felt a twinge of envy. Why couldn't he stare at her like that? "Oh, you must be the boy toy my husband gave my daughter," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake.

The dumbstruck look was gone a second later, replaced by his normal zen. "Yeah, I'm the boy toy. But I prefer Hyde." He shook her hand reluctantly.

"Steven was just leaving," Jackie said. "He's got a very important engagement."

Pam frowned. "Nonsense. There's nothing more important than you, right?" She leaned in to her daughter to whisper. "You should know better than to let him out of the house."

"Mom!" Jackie turned away, embarrassed. "He's not my slave, he's my friend."

"No, it's cool," Hyde said. "I'll go finish scrubbing your floor and making your bed, _my lady._ " He bowed mockingly at Jackie before turning and going up the stairs. _Wow, this family lives in a different time period or something._

Pam put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Oh sweetie, how I've missed you," she said, and Jackie felt happiness melt away the embarrassment from before. "I've brought you a present."

 _Oh no._ Pam had been giving Jackie presents since she was fourteen. And they were always sexual.

Sure enough, Pam produced a box from an adult toy store and handed it to her. "I found these in Paris and I knew you had to have them. Now you can compete with the French girls once you practice."

Jackie opened the box and forced a smile as she looked down at the lingerie, handcuffs, and whip. "Thanks, mom. That's so nice of you."

Pam smiled. "I know. I'm just so generous, aren't I?"


	8. Chapter 8

Upstairs, Steven couldn't help but eavesdrop on Jackie and Pam as they talked in the living room. He felt his anger rise up at Pam, not about her treatment of him, but at her treatment of Jackie. That woman might actually rival Edna in the verbal abuse department.

"I called and made sure the masseuse was coming," Pam said. "You know how you don't always check things but I do because I'm so much better than you? Well, I had to make sure this wasn't one of the those times."

"Of course, mom," Jackie said. "After the massages, I also scheduled mani-pedis and I was thinking after that we could go get dinner-"

"Oh honey, all of this is too much. Do you think I have all this extra time? Don't worry, darling, I already canceled the mani-pedis for you. I'm leaving on a private jet in five hours, so I'll be gone after the massage."  
"Oh," Jackie said. Hyde could hear her fighting back tears from upstairs. "That's okay, mom. Where are you going this time?"  
Pam went off about some billionaire from Jamaica who knew how to make the best margaritas while Jackie stayed completely silent. A silent Jackie was a phenomenon all on its own, but for once it was not a blessing. Not when her voice had been replaced by Pam's and it meant Jackie was upset. Or even worse, listening and taking Pam's attitude on love to heart.

"He bought me three designer handbags and we had only known each other for like a week," Pam was saying. "So I know he must really be affected by my beauty. And I know I got through to him with the sex."

"Mom!" Jackie shouted. "Gross! I don't want to hear about your sex life."

"Oh, sweetie, don't be jealous like that. Just because you weren't good enough to hold onto that boy doesn't mean you won't get better. I doubt you'll ever be as good as me, but you can still improve."

Hyde balled his hands into fists, trying to keep his anger under control. No wonder Jackie was so shallow and messed up with a mother like that!

"You know, sweetie," Pam was saying. "Your slave boy, Steven, he looks like he would be good in bed."

Jackie didn't respond. Hyde held his breath, waiting for them to continue. He didn't know why he cared whether or not Jackie thought he looked like he would be good in bed. He _knew_ he was good in bed. But he wanted Jackie to know it too, for some reason. Just to satisfy his own ego, of course.

When Jackie didn't say anything, Pam continued. "I'm not saying you should have a relationship with him since he's poor and won't be able to buy you things, but he would be good practice so you can catch and hold a boyfriend later, instead of losing them to whores, like you lost Michael. He might even be able to teach you some things." Pam giggled.

Hyde felt like he was going to be sick. Pam didn't rival Edna in the verbal abuse department. She totally beat Edna.

"First of all, Mother, I am great in bed!" Jackie shouted. "Second of all, Steven is my friend so stop calling him a slave boy. And third of all, _he is not for practice!_ " Her voice rose up to a shrill level that was barely understandable.

There was footsteps coming up from the living room and Hyde quickly ducked into his room as Jackie went into her own room, sobbing. He grimaced. He hated it when she cried. He would do anything to make her stop crying. Hell, he once took her to prom to get her to stop.

Hyde listened to see if Pam would follow her daughter, but he didn't hear any sound. Pam was probably still enjoying her massage downstairs. He knocked on Jackie's door. "It's me," he said softly.

"Go away, I look ugly!" Jackie called out.

"I don't care, man. Just open up."

There wasn't any reply, just more sobbing. Hyde tried the door and found it unlocked. He opened it to find her curled up on her bed, still crying. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her before he could think better of it. "Come on, man," he whispered. "You're going to be okay. Shh. You're going to be okay."

Jackie wrapped her arms around his waist. "How much did you hear?" she asked.

"I didn't hear anything," he said.

"You're lying," she said, crying even harder. "Great, now you really think I'm a spoiled, shallow bitch."

"No, I don't. Well, no more than usual." Actually, he was touched that she stood up to her mom like that for him. "Look, your mom was the bitch. Not you. You haven't done anything wrong."

"I'm so sorry about what she said, Steven. I swear I don't think about you that way at all."

He held her tighter. "I know," he said softly. Hearing her say that was oddly satisfying, though, as if part of him had wondered if she did just see him as practice.

Neither of them talked anymore. Hyde just held her while she cried until eventually she quieted. He realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. He grimaced. She was way too trusting. He could have had her naked and under him in less than a minute. Didn't she realize how dangerous it was for her to just fall asleep with him on her bed?

He didn't want to risk waking her up, so instead he just held her and closed his eyes to doze a little. Hyde moved his leg and it bumped into a box on the bed he hadn't noticed before. He frowned when he looked at it. Whatever store it had come from did not allow minors in, that was for sure. The cover was ajar and he could see red silk and what looked like a pair of handcuffs inside.

A vision of Jackie in a red silk nightgown flashed through his mind. He stifled a groan as all the blood rushed to his groin at the thought.

Jackie stirred slightly and moved even closer to him, sighing quietly as she settled her head in the center of his chest. He swallowed, praying his erection would go down before she woke up.

Hours passed and she still slept. Hyde was tempted to get up but he didn't want to disturb Jackie. He heard from outside Pam packing and leaving. She didn't even pop in to say goodbye to her daughter before going off for God knows how long. _Bitch_.

He grimaced. There was no way he was feeling sympathy for Jackie Burkhart. She was shallow and snobby and high maintenance and she had thought he would go to a _roller disco_ , for god sakes!

Yeah, her parents weren't there much, but it wasn't like she was getting beaten like he had, nor did she have to worry about where her next meal was coming from or if she was going to come home to see a frigging padlock on the door with all of her suitcases thrown into the street.

 _Then why am I still here?_ He sighed. He should just throw her off of him and go pack up his things to move back in with Bud. But he didn't move. Instead, he grabbed the book on her nightstand- luckily it was _not_ that stupid romance, it was _Lord of the Flies_ for English- and started reading to pass the time while she slept.


	9. Chapter 9

It was almost evening when Jackie woke up. She looked up at him and then got up quickly. "Oh, shit," she said. "Don't look!"

Hyde raised an eyebrow and looked up from his book. What was her problem?  
"I said don't look!" she shrieked, covering her face. "I look horrible and gross."

Hyde sighed. _That_ was what she was worried about. "You always look horrible and gross."

"Liar!" She got up from the bed and ran to her makeup table, quickly sponging cover up on her face. "My face is dreadful right now. Normally it's gorgeous."

She wasn't wrong. Jackie looked totally hot. Even when she fell asleep crying. Not that Hyde was ever going to tell her that. Instead he grabbed the box with the lingerie and opened it up all the way. His eyes widened when he saw the inside of it. "You are one kinky princess," he said.

"Put that down!" she said, flushing. "Mom gave me those. I don't ever use them, though."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, has your mom given you sex toys before?"  
She rolled her eyes. "Look, my mom brings me back expensive presents from her billionaire boyfriends. I'm not going to bitch about what those presents are, as long as they're designer and expensive." She snatched the box out of his hands and walked quickly to her closet.

It was then that Hyde realized that her superficial snobbery was mostly a defense mechanism, like how zen protected him. _I guess everyone needs some sort of defense. Even princesses._

He got up and followed Jackie to her closet. "Hey, I'm so…" He stopped when he saw the back corner of her closet dedicated to presents from her mom. Expensive lingerie he had only seen in nudie magazines was hung neatly up, the tags still on them. Below it were open chests with sex toys still in the packaging. The chests came up to his knees and were big enough to easily store TVs, but they were almost full of toys. Balanced on the corner of the chest was a stack of books and cassette tapes on sex positions and pleasing men in bed.

Jackie hung up the new lingerie and dumped the handcuffs and whip unceremoniously in with the other toys. She had a blank look of zen on her face.

"Jackie…" Hyde trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I really don't use any of it," she said. "Actually, not even Michael knows about any of this, so if you could not tell anyone, then I'd appreciate it."

"Of course not."

"Good." She smiled at him but her smile trembled a little. Tears threatened to escape. Hyde reached out to wrap his arms around her but Jackie backed up. "Don't. I'm just going to start crying again if you're nice to me." She took a deep breath. "Isn't it late? I'm sure you want to get some sleep."

Hyde shook his head. He didn't want sleep. He wanted Jackie to forget about the past day. And he knew exactly how to do that. He smirked. "I don't want sleep. I have a better way to pass the time."

A/N: Thanks everyone who's reviewed and followed and favorited! I really appreciate it. I know this chapter is short, but I'll have a longer one coming up soon. Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10

Jackie giggled as the pot went straight to her head. She felt more relaxed than she'd felt in weeks. "You were right, Hyde. This is a good way to pass the time."

"I know I was right." He sat across from her on the coffee table in his room. "I'm always right. And it's Steven, man. What's up with this Hyde shit?"

She giggled again. "Hyde shit? Sounds like 'hide it'." For some reason that was hysterical to her. "But you never let anyone call you by your first name but you want me to call you it. I knew you loved me."

Hyde laughed. "You're so fucking delusional, man. And your music sucks. Except for Sinatra. He's all right."

Jackie was too high to take offense to anything he said. She giggled. "He's all right. Hey, we're all all right! Right?" She burst out laughing.

Hyde shook his head, a stoned grin still on his face. "I don't know why I'm still here, man. It's not really because of that deal I made with your dad. It's like you have a perfume that releases pheromones designed to mess with my head into the atmosphere." His smile disappeared. "You _do_ have that, don't you. Your dad's loaded, he must have bought you that from the CIA."

Jackie snorted. "It's because you love me, Steven! Now get me a pizza! Or five! I'll pay."

A half hour later, both of them were lying on the floor with an empty pizza box between them. Jackie wanted to push the pizza box to the side and snuggle up against him, but she knew better. Weed might make Hyde more relaxed and happy, but there was limits even to that. Instead she curled on her side and looked at him, happily. "I love you, Steven Hyde," she whispered.

Hyde raised an eyebrow at her and he put one arm behind his head. "You shouldn't," he said as he drifted off into a stoned sleep. "I'm just like my father, you know. I'll just chew you up, spit you back out, and leave."

"No, you won't. You're too nice and sweet." Jackie smiled. "And I'll make you see that. I'm a Burkhart, you know. Burkharts always get what they want. And I want you to realize you're perfect."

He snorted. "Ain't gonna happen, princess."

"We'll see about that."

A/N: Thanks for all the new follows and favorites! I appreciate it!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for everything guys, here's a longer chapter to make up for all the shorter ones. Warning: Hyde has a very graphic sexy dream first thing. Hope you enjoy!

That night, Hyde dreamed even stranger drugged dreams than normal. Jackie was taking a bath and he knelt next to her, naked, on the bath mat, brushing her hair. The only thing covering her was lavender-scented bubbles.

"You're such a good slave, Steven," she murmured as he continued to brush her hair.

Hyde smiled. "Anything for you," he said as he set down the brush.

She turned to face him, her bare breasts dangling over the side of the tub. Hyde's cock hardened at the sight of them. Jackie reached out and traced his jaw with her index finger. "You would do anything for me, wouldn't you?" She smiled, looking like a damn goddess. A goddess Hyde couldn't help but obey. She was everything to him.

"Yes." He turned his head to kiss her palm.

Her hand went lower and she stroked his bare cock. Hyde groaned. God, she felt so good.

"You want me, too, like a good slave."

"God, yes." How much longer was she going to torture him?

Jackie smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. Hyde eagerly kissed back, happy to give her all the affection she craved.

She grinned at him. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come join me."

Finally.

Hyde woke up angry and aroused. He glared at the ceiling. While he didn't have much recollection of what he said to Jackie, he remembered that disturbing yet (unfortunately) erotic dream all too well. On top of that, he felt sick, like he usually did when he opened up too much to someone. Which meant he had probably said something he shouldn't have when in the circle with didn't happen often, but it sucked when it did. He could only hope Jackie didn't remember much of what he said either.

Between his high confession, whatever it was, and his dream, he'd never be able to face Jackie again. At least not when she was awake.

Right now she was sleeping peacefully next to him on the floor. He smiled. His plan to relax Jackie had worked. Good. She was gorgeous when she slept. If he didn't know how annoying she could be when she was awake, he might be in real danger of becoming attracted to her.

 _You are attracted to her. You just don't want to admit it_. He grimaced. It was just a freak dream. He couldn't be attracted to Jackie freaking Burkhart. That was just wrong.

Hyde gently picked her up and carried her to her room, careful not to wake her. He tried to ignore the thought that he might be attracted to her. He couldn't be. She was way too dangerous.

He looked at the alarm clock on her night stand. It wasn't that late yet. He needed to get out of the house.

Hyde wrote a note on Jackie's message pad and left. He double checked the locks on the front door to make sure it was locked before walking to the Formans'.

Forman and Kelso were in the basement, chilling. "Hey," Eric said. "Long time no see, man. You never hang out here anymore."

"Yeah," Kelso said. "What's up with that? It's been like a year since we saw you."

"It's only been a day. I didn't realize you two got so clingy." Hyde sat down in his chair. "What are you watching?"

"Reruns," said Eric. "Just _The Six Million Dollar Man_."

"Cool." Hyde usually hated reruns, but wasting time in the basement was a nice break from Jackie. And it felt normal. He slouched down in the chair, exhausted.

"Wait," Kelso said, a dumbfounded look on his face. "I know that pose. The exhaustion, the irritability, the feeling like you're crazy and emotionally on edge! You've been with _Jackie_ , man!"

"Why would I be with Jackie?" Hyde asked. "That's ridiculous."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Kelso's right, you look frazzled."

Kelso scowled at Eric. "Forman, there's no need to just make up words."

Hyde rolled his eyes. How the hell did Kelso ever score Jackie? _Since when do you care about how Kelso got her?_ "I'm fine, ladies. Can you all just back off?"

"He's been with Jackie," Kelso said. He scowled at Hyde. "Stay away from her. She's mine."

"First of all, I'm not with Jackie! Second of all, she's not yours, you idiot! You're with Laurie."

"Only because Jackie dumped me. She's still mine."

"Okay, Kelso, I'm going to explain this to you as simply as I can. Once upon a time, you and Jackie were together, which means the two of you had a rule about not seeing other people. Then you broke that rule by cheating on her with Laurie. So Jackie broke up with you. Now the two of you are not together which means _both_ of you can see whoever you want. Understand?"

Kelso gave him a dumb expression. "No."

Hyde sighed. "I tried."

"Look, you can confuse me all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that you were with Jackie!"

"I wasn't with Jackie, god! Can you stop grilling me for two damn seconds?"

"Fine, whatever." Kelso scowled at him and then turned back to the TV. Eric looked from Hyde to Kelso and then at the TV again, apparently deciding he was better off not knowing.

Mrs. Forman came down the stairs looking nervous. "Oh good, Steven, you're here," she laughed awkwardly. "That's good. I want to talk to you."

"Uh, sure, Mrs. Forman." Hyde stood up, feeling a little nervous. If she wanted to talk to him, it couldn't be anything good.

He followed her up the stairs and into the kitchen where Red was sitting at the table his arms crossed. "Sit down, son," he said.

"Am I in trouble?" Hyde asked as he sat down. "Did I do something wrong?"  
"Well, Steven," Mrs Forman gave a nervous laugh. "The thing is, your father called."  
 _Oh shit._

"Apparently there were some things you left at his place that he figures you want and he knew we would be able to reach you."

Hyde sighed. "Look, I know what you guys are thinking. And I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

"First of all, you don't know what I'm thinking," Red said. "You're not smart enough to read minds. Second of all, why didn't you tell us you and Bud had a falling out?"

"Where are you staying?" Kitty put in. "You're not at the Fotohut, are you? Because there's not even a shower there."

So Bud hadn't told them about the deal with Jackie's dad. That was good at least. "I'm fine," Hyde said "I'm not staying at the Fotohut. I'm staying at a place where I get meals and I can shower."

"Where are you staying?" Red asked. "Not at that hippie's house, are you?"

"No," he said. "I actually got a side job of sorts," he cleared his throat. "It, uh, comes with room and board."

"Bullshit," Red said.

"No, I did. I'm, ah, babysitting." It wasn't really a lie. He was more like a bodyguard than a babysitter, but he wasn't about to tell Kitty that. She would have a panic attack.

Red laughed. "You? Taking care of kids? That's funny." His smile disappeared. "You're not selling dope, are you?"

"No, I swear! Look, ask Jackie. Her father was the one who set the whole thing up. I can't actually tell you where I am because I signed some sort of contract. An NDA or something." When had he gotten so good at lying?

"Well, I'm proud of you, Steven," Kitty said, smiling. "It so nice that you're taking care of kids. I know you're going to be an excellent father one day." She laughed, even as Hyde's stomach clenched painfully. If she knew the truth, there was no way she would be saying that. "You know, Steven, if you ever get tired of babysitting… or get fired… well, you always have a place here."

Hyde smiled. He knew he would. The Formans were always too good for him. "Thanks, Mrs. Forman. I appreciate it."

"We're not a charity," Red said flatly. "Keep your job. And if I find out you've been selling dope, you won't even be a guest here, let alone a resident."

Hyde nodded. "Yeah, I wouldn't expect anything less. Thanks for your concern, but I should go to Bud's and pick up my things." He walked out the front door, irritated. Bud never should have told the Formans anything. And he certainly didn't want to go there now.

When he walked out, he saw Jackie actually about to come into the house. She looked at him, surprised. "Oh, hi!" she said. "You're leaving already?" She seemed disappointed even though she tried her best to hide it.

"Uh, yeah, there are a few things I need to pick up at Bud's. Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Forman know I'm not at Bud's anymore, so if they ask you, I'm babysitting for someone who pays me with room and board, and your dad set it up."

She nodded. "Okay. That's fine." She smiled cautiously. "If you're telling the Formans you're babysitting, then that means you're sticking around for awhile?"

Hyde shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? It's a nice room. Plenty of space. I just have to deal with you."

She grinned. "As if you care about material possessions." She hugged him quickly. Hyde stiffened. She'd only touched him for a brief second, but it practically burned him. She was getting way to close. "Thank you," she whispered.

He backed away. "Stop it, the Formans are going to see."

She scowled. "Oh, please. I know how to watch for an audience, Hyde. They weren't looking. Do you need help getting your things? I brought my dad's Lincoln over, so I could drive you."

"No, that's okay." He didn't want Jackie anywhere near Bud's apartment if Bud was there, not when Hyde was so mad at him. The last thing he needed was Jackie to be caught in the middle of a fist fight.

Luckily, Jackie didn't argue. "At least take the Lincoln, then. You're going to be transporting things. You need a car for that." She tossed the keys at him before he could object. He caught them right before they hit his face. She grinned at him. "See you later." She brushed by him, giving him a whiff of lavender perfume. His breath caught for a second and he had to cover it up by clearing his throat before walking to the Lincoln. _Get a grip, man. It's just Jackie._

Jackie walked into the basement to find Kelso and Eric watching TV. "Hi, guys," she said.

"Jackie," Kelso said, glaring at her. "You are _not_ welcome here."

Eric nodded, not even taking his eyes off the television. "I agree. Get out of here."

She scowled at them. "Relax, Dumb and Dumber. I'm not going to stay long. I just need to confirm something. Steven's favorite band is Led Zeppelin, right?"

Kelso's head whipped around to glare at her. "Why do you care what Hyde's favorite band is?"

"None of your business, _Michael_. You're just sad you blew your chance with the catch of the town. After all, I'm a Burkhart, and I'm gorgeous and rich and-"

"Yes!" Eric shouted. "Hyde's favorite band is Zeppelin. Now for the love of god go away."

Jackie grinned. She knew it wouldn't be difficult to torture any information she wanted out of Eric, but it was even easier than she thought.

"Thank you. See you later," she sang out and then flounced out of the room. That was all the information she needed to show Hyde her gratitude.

Hyde found the rest of his things right where he had left them in his old room. He sighed. He would have been fine leaving everything there forever with the exception of his record collection. Jackie was right. He wasn't one for material possessions. Except when it came to good music.

But it looked like Bud was moving on anyway, or was pawning everything he could to pay his debts. The place was practically cleared out except for a few boxes of random crap. _Guess Jack really did do me a favor by enslaving me. That's fucking twisted._

He had just finished packing up the car when a run down car barely hanging on with duct tape pulled into the lot. Bud stumbled out of it, drunk. Hyde sighed. _Great. If I left thirty seconds ago, I would have avoided this._

Bud stared at his son, open-mouthed. "Did you get everything? Cus this is your last chance to get stuff." He was slurring his words something bad. Hyde could barely understand him and he had had a lot of experience speaking the language of the drunk. "I'm leavin' town."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Hyde said. "The people you owe finally drove you out, huh?"

Bud said something unintelligible and stumbled toward Hyde. He backed up a step on reflex and tried to push down the fear he felt. Bud always had gotten violent when he was drunk. Hyde wasn't seven anymore, he could take him. But the sight of Bud drunk still terrified him.

"Who the hell are you talking to, Bud?" A shrill voice said from the shotgun seat. Hyde's blood ran cold. He didn't think he'd ever hear that voice again.

Edna got out of the car, her arms crossed and a cigarette hanging from her mouth. She looked at Hyde with a mixture of indifference and annoyance. "Oh." She said. "It's you."

It had been three years since Edna had left Hyde to starve. He had wondered if Edna had ever missed him. _Guess I know the answer to that question now._ Hyde swallowed, trying to hide how much that stung. "What, so you guys are back together now?"

"Yes," Edna snapped. "Not that it's any of your business. We wanted to start over without a kid messing it all up."

"Sorry I screwed up your life so much, Edna," Hyde said. His hands were starting to shake. He really needed a joint. "I guess you should have made him wear a fucking condom that night."

"Oh please, we were both too drunk to think about anything except getting off that night. Unprotected sex wasn't our fault." Edna walked forward, glaring at Hyde with a real hatred in her eyes. It was as if the time away from her son had made her even more resentful of him. "But I sure as hell wish that abortion had worked." She slapped him across the face. Her palm stung his skin and her nails sliced into his face, leaving trails of blood on his cheek. Hyde was paralyzed. It was all he could do to not react.

Edna grabbed Bud's arm and started dragging him to the apartment building. "Sorry, son," Bud called out to him, words slurring. "I did want ya, but I also want Edna, and she doesn't want you."

They were gone a second later, leaving Hyde stunned and barely holding back tears. _Get it together, man. Only girls cry. Well, girls and Forman. But you're better than that._ But his throat burned and his chest was tight and his stomach knotted. He wasn't sure if he was about to cry or vomit but either way it wasn't going to be pretty.

Hyde got in the Lincoln and pulled out of the lot, his hands shaking as he tried to drive the car in a straight line. He took deep breaths as he focused on not crashing the damn car. Jackie would kill him if he did.

But his entire body seemed to be rebelling against him and it was impossible to drive straight. He was lucky there wasn't another car on the road all the way back to the Burkhart mansion. Otherwise he would have totalled the car for sure.

He hadn't known about the abortion.


	12. Chapter 12

Jackie readjusted the phone up against her ear. If she held it in one place for too long then she would start to break out. "I think you don't understand," she said in a falsely sweet voice. "My father is Jack Burkhart. Yes, of _the_ Burkharts. Now if you don't start taking me seriously, then you will be out of a job in two minutes."

The other person started speaking but Jackie got distracted by the sound of Hyde's combat boots as he stomped inside. _Damn, he wasn't supposed to be back yet._ How was he so fast at packing up all of his possessions? It would take _her_ at least a day and a half to move out of her room. "I'm sorry, I'll have to call you back." She hung up and ran out to see Hyde.

She gasped when she saw him. He stood, looking at her but not really seeing her. He had a stunned expression on his face and he was very pale, as if he was about to collapse any second. Bloody scratches and a developing bruise marred one side of his face. "Oh my god, Steven, what happened?" She led him into his room and pushed him down onto his bed. He didn't try to resist her, which worried Jackie even more. "Tell me what happened. Who did this to you?" She would fucking kill the person who had hurt her Steven.

"I need to get my stuff." His voice was dazed and faint.

Jackie snorted. "Uh, no, you don't. Your stuff can wait, especially when you look like that." She sighed and looked at Hyde's stash, which he had left out in the open on his coffee table. She had no idea how to prepare it, or she would have done the same thing for Hyde that he had done for her. Instead, she sat next to him and rubbed his back to comfort him. It was the only thing she could think of. "Tell me what happened," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter."

"If it didn't matter then you wouldn't be so upset. Now's not the time to hide, Steven. You helped me through a rough time last night. Let me do the same with you."

Haltingly, Hyde told her what happened, from Bud and Edna showing up to Edna telling him about the attempted abortion. Jackie's heart went out to him. She couldn't believe anyone could be so cruel to their own child, especially one as amazing as Hyde. God, she wished that she could beat some damn sense into those horrible people.

"It shouldn't surprise me that much," Hyde said. "She had always told me that I ruined her life. I guess I had always hoped that on some level at some point in my existence that she had wanted me. But apparently not."

Jackie wasn't sure what to say. She was too full of sadness for Hyde and anger for Edna to think straight. And she knew magic phrases to make everything better didn't exist. "She didn't deserve to have a son as incredible as you," Jackie finally said.

Hyde snorted and flopped back on the bed, exhausted. "I'm not that incredible, princess."

Jackie took his sunglasses off and laid them on the night stand before taking his shoes off as well. Then she steered his legs so he was lying properly in bed. "Yes, you are," she said. "And I'm going to prove it to you if it kills me." She left for a second to grab a first aid kit out of the bathroom and came back so she could clean the scratches on Hyde's face.

He grimaced when the antiseptic wipe touched the wound. "If you knew me at all, you wouldn't have signed me up for roller disco that night."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "I always knew you would hate it, Steven," she said. "I never thought for a second it was your thing."  
He raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you sign me up?"

"Because I remember how much you had been hurt when Kat Peterson refused to acknowledge you that night at my party. I mean, you had tried to act like it was no big deal, and you pretended not to care when all of the other cheerleaders used you like that as well. But I knew it had bothered you." She could remember the stricken look on his face when Kat had turned down his offer to get her a drink. It was almost as vivid as Kelso setting her house on fire. _That's probably when I started to realize I was dating the wrong guy._ She pushed that revelation out of her mind, though. She needed to focus on Hyde.

"I wanted to show you that I wasn't like the other cheerleaders and I didn't just want to use you as a sex toy. So I chose something that I knew a lot of people from school would be at and figured you would get the hidden message. I mean I know that most guys wouldn't and everything, but you're like fifty times smarter than most guys, so I hoped you would. When that didn't work, I decided to find something that I knew you would like. I hadn't meant to get you arrested." She shouldn't have let him get arrested, either. She should have told the cop the truth. _I'm such a coward sometimes._

But Hyde wasn't in any condition to fire an insult at her about how she had let him get arrested or how dumb she had been. Instead he looked even more upset. And stunned. "Wow," he whispered. He reached up and grabbed the hand tending to his face. He held it gently in his own. Jackie dropped the antiseptic wipe, shock and pleasure going through her at his touch. "That's actually a really nice thing, doll. And I was an asshole to you because of it."

Damn it. She hadn't meant to make him feel worse about himself. "No, I was the asshole. I let you get arrested and almost kicked out of the Formans, Steven. You didn't do anything wrong that night."

"I did everything wrong that night. I wrote that roller disco thing off as a reason about why you weren't worth my time when really it shows that I'm not worth your time. And I never will be." He let go of her hand. "I don't understand why you haven't moved on to someone better."

"That's because he doesn't exist, Steven. No one's better than you." She packed up the first aid kit and put it on the night stand next to Hyde's sunglasses before lying down next to him on the bed. She wasn't about to leave him alone, not tonight. "You're the most incredible person in the world and anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot." She kissed his cheek lightly before curling up against him, her arm going around his waist.

Hyde didn't push her off or even try to move away. His eyes were closed and his face was slack from fatigue. His breathing grew shallow and Jackie had thought that he had fallen asleep when he whispered, "I'm a monster, Jackie. Just look at where I come from. You shouldn't try to save me. You should run from me as fast as you can."

Jackie clenched her jaw. "Never."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry for the long breaks in between chapters, everyone! I've gotten super busy with classes and I'm posting them when I can. I'll try to get more soon.

Hyde woke up to feel Jackie's petite body curled around his. She was fast asleep, with her head lying on his chest. Her face was tear-stained and it looked like she had cried herself to sleep. His throat constricted at the sight and he resisted the urge to run his fingers through her hair. He needed to keep at least a little bit of distance from her, before she started picking out baby names.

He gently moved out from under her and rolled off the bed. Jackie sighed and snuggled up under the blankets, luckily still asleep. Hyde moved the blankets even more over her so they were almost covering her face. Then he went straight to the coffee table to get his stash. He needed a good high. Anything to dull the events of the day before in his memory. And that included spilling his guts to Jackie. And her telling him about the roller disco. _God, I'm such an asshole._

Hyde rolled himself a joint and lit it, closing his eyes. He hated oversharing. What was it about Jackie that made him start doing it on a regular basis?

The pot had banished the tension from him when Jackie started to stir. She sat up, bleary-eyed. "Can I have some?" she asked.

"That depends. What are you going to give me in return?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and grinned. _Let her think I'm a scumbag. That's what I am anyway. The sooner she realizes it the better off she'll be._

Jackie took the joint from him and took a long drag. "If I thought you were serious about what you were implying, I'd probably take you up on it. But since you're not, I'm willing to figure out how the coffee maker works and make you a cup of coffee."

"Tempting. But I think you might set the kitchen on fire if you tried." He waved his hand carelessly. "Go ahead, have as much as you want. I'm pretty baked anyway."

"Yeah, I can tell." She smiled and handed him back the joint. "Enjoy. I've got some calls to make."

"Whatever." Why did he feel slightly cold at the idea of her leaving the room?

Jackie smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for sharing, last night, Steven. I'm really glad you did."

"You should stay away from me," he said, but he couldn't summon up any real feeling behind it when he was so stoned. "I'll hurt you, you know."

"I'll risk it." She smiled at him and then flounced out of the room. Hyde felt his stupid, stoned grin on his face and looked away.

 _Damn it! I know better. She's bad news. I need to stay away from her._ If he cared at all about her, then he would. When had he started caring about her?

* * *

"I know you'll get it for me. I'm a Burkhart! If you don't do what I say, then you'll be unemployed for the rest of your life. Get it?" Jackie's shrill voice could be heard yet again from her room. Hyde put down his magazine and groaned. She had been acting particularly spoiled and elitist for the past two days. He couldn't deal with it. Hyde went downstairs, just in time to find some random guy letting himself in.

"Hey!" Hyde shouted. "What the hell are you doing?" He glared at the guy, hating the way he looked. What kind of idiot burglar broke into a home in the middle of the day.

The guy paled but stood his ground. "I'm Jackie's Chemistry partner, moron. What are you doing, here, druggie? Breaking in for your next fix?"

Hyde heard running footsteps and he turned to find Jackie. "Chip!" she said. "I thought you weren't coming for another twenty minutes."

Chip shrugged. His eyes looked over Jackie in a way that made Hyde clench his hands into fists. "Well I was free now. I didn't realize you had company."

"Steven was helping me with Business class," Jackie nodded at their skeptical faces. "Yeah. His time dealing drugs gave him really good management skills. He's helping me a lot with my business plan project."

Hyde smiled sarcastically at Chip. "Yeah," he said. "I'm planning on being the next Al Pacino. So you had better stay on my good side." He clapped the other guy on the shoulder and turned back to Jackie. "I'll be at the Foto Hut if you need to reach me," he said. Then he pushed past Chip, hitting him with his shoulder when he did. Knocked off balance, Chip barely kept himself from falling. _Wuss._

Jackie secretly wished that Hyde would stay. Something about Chip unsettled her a little bit. But it would hardly be fair to make him sit in on a Chemistry group project. So she watched him leave and then turned back to Chip with a strained smile. "Ready to get to work?" she asked. His eyes were focused directly on her breasts. _Ugh._

"Sure," he said, grinning, "unless you want to have a little bit of fun beforehand."

"No thanks," she said, scowling. "I don't have fun with _you_. I have my own friends.

"Maybe you want to have the type of fun you can't have with friends. Something a little less… platonic."  
"Again, not with _you._ Let's just get this over with." There. She laid down the law. He had better get the message now.

Chip sighed. "Fine. But I'll change your mind soon enough."

"Fat chance."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I know, I know! I'm sorry! I'll try not to have a break this long again. Between school and some disturbing news I've heard about Danny Masterson, the actor who played Hyde, it's been hard for me to write on this. But I'm not abandoning the story, I promise. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

A week later, Hyde heard Jackie's delighted shriek from the foyer. He went down from his room to see what she was freaking out about.

He stopped dead when he saw her jumping up and down in her cheerleading uniform. Every time she came down from a jump, her skirt flew up, giving him a clear view of her perfectly toned legs and her dark green bloomers covering her underwear and not much else. He tried taking a deep breath to calm himself. He wasn't successful. "What the hell happened to you?" He snapped.

"They came! They finally came!" She had a package in her hands as she turned to him and suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist. Hyde was immediately aware of her small body against his. Even though he was wearing a heavy cable knit sweater, he could feel the outline of her breasts pressed up against his chest. _Shit, she's probably very aware of my hard on right now._

But if she was, she didn't let on. She was too busy hugging him and pressing up against him before backing up, grinning at him. "This is so exciting, Steven, you have no idea."

He looked down at the tiny padded envelope. It looked pretty damn small for her to be so excited about them. "What, did you get a necklace through a mail order catalog or something?" _Why do I even know about mail order catalogs? What is happening to me?_

"Ew, no! Everyone knows the products in catalogs are rip offs. Otherwise they would show them to you in person. No, this is way better than a stupid necklace. Here!" She handed him the envelope. "It's for you."

He sighed. "Jackie, whatever you got me, just return it, okay? I'm not wearing it."

"Just open it. I went through a lot of trouble for these, so the least you could do is at least look at them."

"Okay, fine. Just… don't cry when I hate it, okay?" He ripped open the package and his jaw dropped when the contents fell out into his hand. "Jackie…. How…." he couldn't even speak. He just stared down at the two Led Zeppelin tickets and backstage passes.

"I know a guy who knows a guy who owed Daddy a favor," she grinned. "Now, before you get all worried, I made sure this was for a concert in a couple months so you can get time off and everything. And I tried to get more tickets and passes so the whole gang would go, but I had to fight a lot for just two. So you could probably take Eric, or Donna or someone. I mean, a concert isn't fun if you're going alone, so-"

"I can't accept this," Hyde said. _Damn it, what's wrong with me?_ "Jackie, this is way too much. I mean, these tickets are really good seats. They must easily be worth my annual salary."

She nodded. "Twice that. Luckily, that's nothing for me." She smiled. "Look, I'm not asking you to do anything for them, Steven. I want you to have them. It's my way of saying thank you. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with. And you've been really nice and sweet. So, here you go."  
He had no idea what to say. No one had ever done something so nice for him. Now all of her phone calls with name-dropping made sense. She had been making phone calls for days, being on hold for hours. _Damn, she went through a lot of trouble for these. And she can't even be bothered to go through a self-serve gas station._

Jackie bit her lip. "Please say something. You're making me nervous. I thought you liked Zeppelin. Eric said you did."

"Jackie…" _Thank you doesn't even come close to cutting it._ Instead he gathered her up into his arms for a hug. Jackie gave a sharp intake of breath at him voluntarily touching her.

Hugging her was a mistake. Having her so close and after such a good gift made him completely forget that she was a spoiled princess and that he wasn't capable of being a good boyfriend and that they would never work out. All he felt was lust, and something he wasn't going to think about. Before he could think better about it, he captured her mouth with his.

Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and opened her mouth, letting his tongue inside. He explored her mouth with her tongue. She let out a small moan and pressed herself even closer against him. Then suddenly she broke off, her eyes wide. "I-I have to go." She turned and ran.

 _Shit._ "Jackie, wait!" He followed her up to her room just in time to see her close and lock her door. He leaned his forehead against it. "Jackie, I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything, Steven. It's just… I need to think, okay? Go away."

Hyde closed his eyes. He was already hurting her and they weren't even together. _What did you expect to happen? You would magically turn into Prince Charming?_ "Okay," he murmured. "But I'm sorry, man. If you need me, or anything at all, I'll be in my room, okay?"

He walked quietly to his room and jumped onto the bed. He realized he still had the Zeppelin tickets and backstage passes in his hand. He tossed them across the room. It wasn't like he deserved the damn tickets.


	15. Chapter 15

"So, let's go over the lab report again," Jackie said, not even looking at Chip. "I-I think we could do better." She stared at the lab report, but nothing was registering for her. She felt like she had been crying constantly for two days straight and was exhausted, physically and emotionally. Steven wouldn't talk to her and did everything he could to avoid her. And it was her fault.

She wouldn't have even done this meeting for Chemistry if Chip hadn't insisted on it. _Don't know why he's suddenly into Chemistry so much. It's not like he did any of the work before._

"You're not actually thinking about school work, are you?"

"Sure, I am. We need to get a good grade on this." She didn't sound convincing, even to herself. For once she didn't care about grades. She just wanted to get to sleep.

"Sure you're not thinking about Hyde?" He said Hyde's name like it was a bad word.

Jackie tensed. "Why would I be thinking about Hyde?" It sounded weird to say his last name instead of his first, now.

"Everyone knows you've been mooning over him, and that he's not interested in you. I think he's the reason why your face is tear stained."

"My face is not tear stained," she said indignantly. She was an expert at hiding puffiness with makeup. There was no way anyone could really tell she had been crying.

"Yes, it is." His hand went on her knee and he smiled at her.

"What the hell are you doing? Don't touch me." She tried to push him off but he back-handed her. The force of it knocked her off the couch and onto the floor.

"I think he's the one who put that bruise on your face as well. It's such a shame you fell for such a degenerate, isn't it?" He grinned at her, even as Jackie tried to get away from him, fear trickling down her spine.

"I don't know what you're fucking playing at, but get out, you piece of shit!" She shouted. It would have been much scarier if her voice hadn't been shaking the entire time.

"Hey, don't talk to me like that. I'm the one who saves you after Hyde assaults you, right?" He grabbed her legs and pulled her toward him.

 _Assaulted… oh god._ "Please," she whimpered. "Please don't do this." She couldn't fight back. He was too strong.

Chip ignored her pleas and cries, instead running his hands over her going to unbutton her jeans.

Jackie closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let out a blood-curdling scream.

Hyde sighed. It figured he forgot his wallet and didn't notice until he was actually at the Hub. Now he had to go in when Jackie was in there and they might have no choice but to talk. He'd been hoping to avoid that for longer than a couple of lousy days. Maybe he could sneak in the back.

He started walking up the driveway when he heard a piercing scream coming from the house. _Jackie._

Hyde broke into a run, terror filling him at the thought of anything happening to Jackie. He yanked open the front door and followed the cries into the living room. Chip was on top of her, pinning her down.

Hyde grabbed the back of Chip's shirt and pulled him off Jackie, tossing him to the ground. Rage filled him so much he couldn't even think straight. He started kicking Chip in the ribs as hard as he could, then bent down and punched him in the face. "Nobody fucking touches her," Hyde shouted at him. "I'm going to kill you, you fucking asshole."

"Steven, stop." Jackie's voice was small and full of fear. It froze Hyde immediately. Damn it, what the hell was he doing, losing his cool in front of Jackie? The last thing she needed was to witness a murder on top of whatever Chip had already done to her.

Chip struggled to his feet, glaring at Hyde. "At least I'm not fucking whipped, man," he said. "Go on, doggy. Your owner's calling."

Hyde grabbed Chip by the shirt and picked him up easily, taking him to the front door where he tossed him out. "Don't ever come back here again," he snarled.

Hyde went back inside to see Jackie curled up in a ball, crying. He knelt beside her and put a hand on her back, hesitantly. "Jackie," he whispered.

She turned immediately and wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shirt. Hyde hugged her close, burying his face into her hair. _I never should have left her alone with that guy. I fucking suck as a bodyguard._

He might suck as a bodyguard, and probably as a friend, but he sure as hell wasn't about to leave her now. He will be with her for as long as she needed, do anything she wanted. Anything to make her forget.

"I'm sorry, Steven," she whimpered. "I'm making a fucking mess of your shirt right now."

"Hey, don't apologize," he said. "Don't ever apologize for that." He rubbed small circles on her back to comfort her. "You haven't done anything wrong, doll. Nothing. God, Jackie, I'm sorry. I never should have left you alone with him. Ever."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself for this, Steven. You were amazing today."

 _No, I wasn't. Not even close. But thank god I forgot my wallet._

Hyde took Jackie upstairs and set her gently on her bed. Figuring the last thing she would want right now was a guy near her while she was on her bed, Hyde made to move to the reading chair but she grabbed his arm and asked him to stay with her.

He nodded and lied down next to her. Her tiny arms wrapped around his waist and she rested her head against his chest. "Thank you." Her voice was so tiny and it was still shaking slightly. Hyde's heart broke at the sound of it.

"Of course, Jackie," he said.

"Hey, Stephen? I didn't mean to make you whipped. I'm sorry. I've treated you like shit, haven't I?"

"Nope," Hyde said. "And I'm not whipped. Caring about whether you're raped or not doesn't make me whipped. It makes me not a psychopath."

"You thought I was bribing you with concert tickets."

Okay, he hadn't been expecting that. "What?"

"That's why you kissed me, isn't it? Because you thought you needed to because of-"

"Jackie, no." So that's why she had freaked. God, did she really think he thought so little of her? "First of all, I can't be bribed into doing that, not even for Led Zeppelin. I kissed you because I wanted to. Second of all, you were just attacked, Jackie. Right now, you can be as selfish as you want to. About everything. You're not allowed to beat yourself up. Not now, not ever."

She started sobbing again. "Why do you have to be nice to me? It makes it so much worse because I can't have you."

"You have me, doll. You have me." He wasn't even sure what he was agreeing to at the moment, but he didn't care. He just wanted to make her feel better, no matter what the cost was. But as he was saying the words, he knew they were true. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but he was totally hung up on her. He'd do anything for her.

"Oh, Steven, you're too nice," she whispered.

He shook his head. "I'm not even close to being nice enough for you, doll." He wanted to kiss her desperately, but he forced himself to remain still. The last thing Jackie needed at the moment was him making advances on her.

Jackie fell asleep and her trembling slowly stopped. Hyde held her tight, not caring that he was going to spend an entire day doing nothing but lying there. He was going to be there for her for whatever she needed from now on.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Sorry it's so short everyone. I'll try to have a new chapter up soon. Thanks for your support, everyone!**

When Jackie woke up, she felt numb. All the terror from before was gone, but even though Hyde was holding her in his arms, she couldn't make herself feel happy. Not after what had happened. "What's going to happen at school on Monday?" she asked.

Hyde stirred slightly, as if surprised she had woken up. "What was that?

"What's going to happen on Monday. I mean, after…" She couldn't even finish the thought.

"What do you want to happen? We could tell the police, if you want. Get that bastard locked up forever."

It was tempting. Jackie sure as hell never wanted to see him again. But the idea of telling people that had happened made her stomach churn. She had spent her entire life hiding the negative aspects of her life from the people around her. She didn't want them to come to light now. Why should her entire life be ruined because of Chip? "I think I just want a new Chemistry partner."

Hyde sighed. "Can I at least beat the shit out of him?"

"Then you would get in trouble."

"I don't care, man. I'm already in trouble all the time. He needs to pay. He hurt you."

Jackie smiled. "You're so sweet, Steven."

"I'm not sweet. I just…. I don't like seeing you hurt, okay?"

"And that's really sweet of you, Steven." She flipped over onto her stomach while still on top of him and kissed him on the cheek. Hyde's eyes went wide. The wanting was plain on his face, but he didn't move. Jackie knew he wouldn't. No matter what he said, he was too much of a gentleman to kiss her after she had been assaulted.

Jackie bit her lip and Hyde's gaze immediately fell towards her mouth. A muscle in his jaw twitched and his breathing became a little uneven. She moved closer to him and brushed her lips against his. A groan escaped his lips and he gently cupped the back of her neck, but he still hung back, letting her come to him. Jackie pressed her lips against his, more firmly this time. She straddled him and leaned into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Hyde groaned as he kissed her back. He held her tightly by the waist and massaged the back of her neck as he kissed her gently.

When they finally broke off, Hyde pressed his lips to her temple. "Jackie…" his voice was thick with need.

"I want you, Steven," she whispered. "You're so amazing. I'd do anything for you."

"You have me, Jackie. And you don't have to do anything for me, okay. I don't expect anything."

She smiled. He was so incredibly sweet. She would never deserve him. "Thank you," she said.

"Anything for you, doll."


	17. Chapter 17

On Monday, the bruises on Jackie's face were too dark for her to cover up with makeup. Just the sight of them made Hyde's throat tighten and his hands clench into fists. When he got his hands on Chip, he was going to make him pay.

Jackie didn't seem to care about the bruises too much, though. She kissed him on the cheek as if it was the most natural thing to do. "Morning," she said, smiling.

Hyde grabbed her waist and pulled her against him. "Morning," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently. Jackie sighed happily and snuggled in his arms. He couldn't help smiling a little himself. He could get used to this. "Let's just stay home today," he said. "I could make it worth your while." He grinned suggestively at her.

"I wish we could. But I've got a test today. I have to go." Jackie pulled away from him, her smile still in place but now a little forced.

"Oh come on, your grades can stand it if you get a zero on one test. You have straight A's."

"My grades might be able to stand it, but I won't. Today won't be that bad. It won't be." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than him.

When they entered the school, Jackie hesitantly slipped her hand inside of his and he held it tight in reassurance. Both of them felt the stares as they walked down the halls.

When they caught up with the rest of the gang, all of them looked bewildered. "When did this happen?" Eric said. "No really, is this a prank or something?"

"What the hell, Hyde, she was supposed to be mine next," whined Fez.

Kelso was angry. "Damn, Hyde! Why are you stealing my girlfriend?"

Only Donna seemed to notice the bruises on Jackie's face. "Oh my god, what happened?" She pulled Jackie away from Hyde to better see the bruises.

Hyde sighed and looked at his friends. "Okay. Eric, no, not a prank. Fez, Jackie wouldn't even give you the time of day on her worst days. And Kelso, she's not your fucking girlfriend."

Kelso shrieked and stalked off. "Ai," Fez said, wrinkling his nose as he left for class as well. Eric was still in shock, staring at his best friend.

"I don't want to talk about it, _Donna_ ," Jackie said as she stepped back towards Hyde. "Just drop it okay."

"Jackie, come on, I just want to know what happened."

"She doesn't have to talk about it if she doesn't want to," Hyde said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Eric recoiled. "Oh my god, don't do that, it's too weird."

"What? It's not like my arm's around your shoulders, Forman. Grow up."

Donna glared at both Jackie and Hyde. "I don't know what to think about whatever weird and unnatural thing is going on, but you know what everyone else is going to think right?"

"No. Enlighten us," Hyde bit out. Homeroom had never looked so good.

"They're going to think you did that." She pointed at the bruise on Jackie's cheek.

"That's ridiculous!" Jackie said. "Steven would never hurt me. He's too much of a gentleman."

"I'm not a gentleman," Hyde said. "The first part is probably right, though." He would never intentionally or physically hurt her, that was for sure. Just the thought of it made him sick.

"I know that and the rest of the gang knows that. No one else in the school know that," said Donna.

"I'll make them know, then," Jackie said. "It's stupid that they would even think Steven would hurt me."

"Jackie, relax. I don't care what they think." Watching her get worked up on his behalf was pretty sexy, though.

"I care! How could anyone even think you would hurt me? That's ludicrous!"

"Jackie…" He sighed and looked around to see people staring. If she wasn't careful, her precious perfect fictional world was going to come crashing down around her. "It's fine, okay? I don't care. Let's just get to class, all right?"

"That's funny," Eric said. "When you say 'go to class' you really mean 'sneak out the back and vandalize something' right?"

The only Hyde wanted to vandalize was Chip's fucking head. But if he did that, people would start putting two and two together. And Jackie didn't want that. "No, Forman," he said. "I mean go to class. Like you should be doing."

Eric and Donna stared as he kissed Jackie on the cheek, went to his locker and took out dusty textbooks he had dumped in there at the beginning of the semester and forgot about. Then, feeling everyone's eyes on him, he stalked off to class, preparing himself for a seriously bad and very boring day.


	18. Chapter 18

Kat Peterson tapped Jackie on the shoulder during gym class. "Nice shiner there," she said. "Did that freak give that to you?"

Jackie glared at her. "You weren't calling him a freak when you were sleeping with him," she said.

Kat rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said. "There's a difference between sleeping with someone and walking into school holding hands with them. I mean that's so gross."

"First of all, Steven is not gross. He's perfect, and a lot better than the dorks you date. Second of all, when I like someone, at least I have the guts to show it. Unlike you, scared to do anything until your fake friends are gone."

Kat scowled. "Listen, Jackie, I don't care who your father is or how much money you have. You fell from your throne, princess. You're just another domestic abuse victim." She gave a simpering smile. "I'm here for you, Jackie. My daddy can put that piece of shit in jail for life if you ever want the pain to stop."

Rage filled Jackie. How dare she call Steven a piece of shit? Next thing Jackie knew, she punched Kat in the nose.

Kat fell down with a shriek. "She hit me!" she called to the teacher.

Jackie kicked her in the ribs. "Steven. Didn't. Hit me!" she shouted.

The teacher pulled Jackie away. "Burkhart. Principal. Now!" he shouted as he went to help Kat up. Kat glared at Jackie, her hand unable to staunch the blood streaming out of her nose.

"I guess _Steven_ taught you violence is always the answer," she said.

"Ugh!" Jackie screamed before spinning on her heel and stomping out. She couldn't believe Hyde had ever cared for that low life.

Hyde was more than a little surprised when he was summoned to the principal's office from his fifth period class. He knew the teachers didn't like him, but he didn't think he would actually get in trouble for _attending_ class.

His heart sank when he heard Jackie's rage-filled voice carrying down the hall. "After all my money my daddy donated, you won't even _listen_ to what I have to say? I'm telling you, Steven didn't do it! Chip did it."

"Your opinion is hardly reliable, Ms. Burkhart. After all, who knows how Mr. Hyde manipulated and threatened you."

Hyde felt his anger rise as he entered the room. "You wanted to see me, sir," he said, false respect dripping with every word.

Jackie threw herself at Hyde, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Steven," she said. "I tried to tell him that you would never hurt me, but some people are just too stupid and ignorant for words." She glared at the principal so hard the principal turned a shade or two pale.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Steven said, kissing her forehead. "It's not your fault."

The principal cleared his throat. "Mr. Hyde, I suggest you back away from Ms. Burkhart now if you do not want to face criminal charges as well as expulsion."

"Expulsion!" Jackie shrieked. "For what? Your stupid and baseless accusations will cost you your job when my daddy hears about this."

"Speaking of your father, he will be here shortly to take you home and get you the help you need for your traumatic experience. As for baseless accusations, the bruises on Ms. Peterson says otherwise. Mr. Hyde clearly manipulated you into fighting with her. It is not your fault, Ms. Burkhart and you will not get in trouble. Mr. Hyde is the clear manipulator. I suggest you wait in the receptionist's office for your father."

Hyde slowly put the pieces together. Of course. When the daughters of the two most influential and powerful men in Wisconsin get into a catfight, the principal gets put into a very uncomfortable situation. Blaming either of them will get him fired. So he found another perpetrator. Nothing he'd say would matter. He sighed and sat down in one of the chairs. "You must really like your job if you're willing to ruin my future to save it."

The principal looked at him in disdain. "Your future was ruined long before you started high school, Mr. Hyde. Shut up."

"Or what? You'll expel me again?" Hyde snorted. "I would never hurt Jackie. You know that."

"The facts say otherwise. She came to school with you with a bruise on her face. What am I supposed to think about that?"

"Uh, how about what she told you? Chip, her chemistry partner did that."

He shook her head. "No, I know Chip's father. Chip would never do anything like that." He glared at Hyde. "I also know your father. He was constantly in my office when he was in school as well. In fact he was in that very chair for the very same crime."

Hyde clenched his jaw. "I'd never hurt Jackie," he repeated. He felt less sure now. The thought of it sickened him, but maybe it was better if he never saw her again. After all, he was just like Bud. If Bud had snapped and hurt his girlfriend, then who was to say Hyde couldn't do the same? _I need to stay away from Jackie. Before I hurt her._

In the next office over, Jackie started shrieking again. Then her father's calm voice interrupted her. "It's all right, kitten," he said. "I will sort everything out and it will all be fine. I will buy you a diamond necklace tonight to cheer you up. How does that sound?"

"I don't want a necklace, Daddy. I want you to tell the principal that Steven didn't hurt me. They're going to expel him!"

"I'll take care of it, kitten," he said soothingly. "Just wait here."

Jack Burkart opened the door. He was smiling but there was nothing friendly about that smile. "I hear you've been saying my daughter is so dumb, a scruffy bum can manipulate her."

The principal paled. "Mr. Burkhart, I assure you, I do not think your daughter is dumb. Mr. Hyde might be a bum, but he is cunning and sly. I knew his father. Both of them are master manipulators."

If he wasn't so angry, Hyde would be flattered at that description.

"My daughter is a Burkhart. Even if this boy was capable of manipulating most people, he never would have been able to manipulate a Burkhart. We're better than that. I have heard this is all from some bickering in the gymnasium." Jack smiled smoothly. "I assure you my daughter takes full responsibility of what happened. You know how kids are. I got into a few fights myself when I was younger." He gave a rehearsed laugh. "I'll pay for Ms. Peterson's medical bills, of course. Perhaps if I give a nice donation to the school's athletic program we can put this messy situation behind us?" he raised an eyebrow. The principal's eyes lit up with greed.

"Of course, Mr. Burkhart. If you wait a moment, I will put you in touch with the Petersons. Mr. Hyde, you're ah, free to go."

"No need," Jack said quickly. "Mr. Peterson is one of colleagues. I will contact him directly. Steven, why don't I give you a ride home?" Behind his pleasant smile was something that made Hyde's stomach churn. Hyde nodded reluctantly. He knew it wasn't a request and one word from Burkhart would get him expelled and tossed in jail if he didn't comply.

The three of them left, with Jackie clinging to Hyde like he was a lifeline. Hyde put his arm around Jackie, trying to comfort her even though he knew there certainly wasn't a happily ever after for them.


	19. Chapter 19

Jack Burkhart waited until both Jackie and Hyde were inside the Burkhart mansion. "Jackie, go to your room," he said quietly. "Steven and I need to discuss something."

Jackie didn't like the look in her father's eyes. He was looking at Hyde as if he was a worthless employee he wanted to rip apart. "I think I'll stay. Anything you have to say to Steven you can say in front of me." She put herself between Hyde and Jack Burkhart, daring him to even look at Hyde crookedly.

"Jackie, it's okay," Hyde said quietly. "Go on up. I'll, uh, see you later, all right?" His zen was in place, which only meant trouble. Jackie's stomach twisted in knots. She thought it was all right after her father made all the trouble disappear. He couldn't actually believe the nonsense the principal had been saying, could he?

"Okay," Jackie said. "I'll just go upstairs, then." She walked away but stopped in the next room over, listening.

"I didn't hit her," Hyde said. "I'd never do that."

"Bullshit, you fucking bum! After everything I did for you you hurt my daughter? I let you into my damn house! I cleared your father's debts! All I asked was you spend time with her and do what she wanted and you fucking hit her! No one hits my daughter, do you understand? No one!" There was a loud crash and Jackie gasped. She ran back to the foyer to see Hyde against the wall, holding his nose. Her father was gearing up for another punch. Terror ran through her. "Daddy, no!" she shrieked, running in front of Hyde. Her father's fist connected with her face and the force of it sent her to the ground.

"Kitten!"

"Jackie!"

Both men were at her side in an instant. Jackie tried to sit up but she fell back, dizziness overwhelming her. The side of her face was throbbing. Her father's hit was much more powerful than Chip's. "Steven didn't hit me," she said. "He didn't hit me. Don't hurt him, Daddy."

"Just stay calm, kitten. It's all right. I'll take care of you." Her father reached for her but Jackie shrank back. She moved closer to Hyde. Her father noticed this and gave Hyde a look of blatant hatred. "I'll call a doctor," he said flatly.

Hyde gathered Jackie up in his arms. "You all right, doll?"

She nodded. "I feel dizzy, though." She leaned against his chest. It felt so safe in his arms, as if this awful day could just go away.

"Try not to move," he said. "Your father will get a doctor. Jackie, what were you thinking? Never do that again."

"I couldn't just let him hit you, Steven! You don't deserve that."

"It doesn't matter if he hits me or not, doll. I can take it. But, Jackie, the thought of you getting hurt…" His arms tightened around her. "It's unbearable, man. I can't take it."

"Steven, it does matter! You've been hurt too much already. I don't want you hurt because of me. I don't care what you say. If I can protect you, I will."

Anguish flashed across Hyde's face. "Jackie…"

"Don't tell me I'm wrong, Steven. I can get hurt a couple of times if it means protecting you."

"No, Jackie. You just don't get it. I'd rather get hit a hundred fucking times if it meant you didn't get so much as a scratch. Don't ever do this again. Promise me, doll. Please. Promise me you won't do this again."

Jackie shook her head. She would give Hyde almost anything he wanted. But she wouldn't give him that.

Her father cleared his throat. They both looked up to see him standing in the entrance of the foyer again. His expression had softened into concern. "The doctor's on his way. I told him you slipped and fell and needed treatment. For both of you." He nodded at Hyde, looking suddenly awkward and apologetic.

Jackie smiled at her father. Finally he believed that Hyde hadn't hit her. _Took him long enough._

"I don't need it," Hyde said. "I'm fine." He slowly let go of Jackie. She felt bereft at the loss of his touch. "In fact I should be going."

"What? Steven, don't go," Jackie said.

His zen was back in place. He gently moved her off of him. His hands shook slightly when he did, and Jackie knew he wasn't as calm as he pretended. "I'll see you in school, doll," he said quietly.

"In school?" She struggled to sit up but dizziness hit her again and she slumped against the foyer wall. Hyde tensed when she did so and his zen crumbled for a split second and she saw the pain, devastation, and concern he was trying to hide. "Steven, please stay."

Jack moved in front of Steven. "If my daughter asks you to stay, you stay."

Hyde clenched his jaw. "We both know it's better if I leave."

"You're staying. You don't have a choice."

Jackie groaned. More than anything she wanted Hyde to stay. She wanted him to hold her until the pain went away and everything was better. But there was no point in making him stay against his will. She didn't want to trap him. "Daddy, let him go. If he wants to go, then he can."

Burkhart looked surprised. "But-"

"Let him go."

Her father moved to the side and Hyde stalked past him and out the door without looking back. Jackie watched, hoping this didn't meant the end for them.


	20. Chapter 20

Hyde was still shaking when he reached the Formans' house. All he could see was Jackie getting hit over and over. It played out in his mind like a loop and it was tearing himself up inside. He felt like he was going to pass out or hyperventilate or something. Pressure was building up in his chest and he sat down on the Formans' front porch, holding his head in his hands.

He barely heard the screen door open. Red's voice pierced through his thoughts. "Steven. Garage. Now," he said sternly.

Hyde followed him, taking deep breaths to try to get himself under control. It wasn't working, though. He was going to vomit in Red's garage if he wasn't careful.

Red closed the garage door after them and gestured to a couple of old lawn chairs set up near the radio. "Have a seat." He tossed something at Hyde and Hyde caught it on reflex. It took him a second to realize he was holding a beer. He sat down in the chair looking at it blankly.

"Drink it, you dumbass. And get a damn grip. I've seen men in the war more calm the first time they killed a man than you are right now."  
Hyde opened the can and chugged the entire contents. He barely tasted it and he didn't even want to at the moment. Not even a beer could make things better.

Red sat down in the other chair. "Now, you're going to tell me what's really going on. I'm not going to tell anyone, not even Kitty because I don't want her to worry. But if you don't tell me what happened, then you had better not show your face here again."

Hyde let out a shaky breath. He didn't even know where to start. "I screwed up, man."

"Of course you did. You're a dumbass. Be more specific."

Hyde looked at the floor. "I didn't get a babysitting job."

"No shit."

He clenched his jaw. Talking about this was almost as painful as living it. "Bud owed Jackie's dad several thousand in gambling debts. He knew Jackie had a crush on me, so Burkhart offered to clear Bud's debts if I went to be Jackie's slave." Hyde told him everything, even what happened with Chip. After he was finished, Red cleared his throat.

"Well, uh, that's quite a story, son."

"It's the truth." At this point Hyde had stopped shaking. He just felt kind of numb and exhausted.

Red still didn't know what to say. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting anything like this. Probably all he thought was Hyde had been dealing drugs and needed a lecture. "You can't blame yourself about Jackie," he finally said.

"It is my fault. She got hurt the first time because I wasn't there to stop it. The second time she got hit was because she was protecting me. I might as well have hurt her myself."

"You might see it that way if you're a dumbass," Red said flatly. "But it's really like this: if you go out into the woods with a gun, shoot an animal, skin it, and cook it, then you went hunting. If you went to Fatso Burger and got a burger, then you did not go hunting. You, Steven, went to Fatso Burger. You didn't go hunting."

Hyde kind of got what Red was saying. But it didn't matter, the result was still the same. "Well, if you think about it, getting a burger drives up the demand for meat which means more animals get killed anyway, so-"

Red cut him off with a glare. "Don't be a smartmouth. Now get your ass inside and don't let Kitty see you in this state. I'm going to go tell her you were laid off from babysitting and if I hear you breathe one word to her about any of what you just told me, I will give you a swift kick in the ass."

"Thanks, Red." Hyde got up to leave.

"And put some damn ice on your nose. You look like goddamn Pinocchio."

He had forgotten all about his nose, but now that he was thinking of it, it started hurting again. "Sure thing."

He went to the basement from the side door, careful to avoid any windows Kitty might be peeking out of. He took some ice out of the deep freeze and headed to his room. Everything was as he left it, except a fine layer of dust was covering it. Not that he cared. He lied down on his bed and pressed the ice cubes to his nose. Hyde closed his eyes, wishing he could get the images of Jackie lying injured on the ground out of his head.

A week passed of Hyde successfully avoiding Jackie. Not that he didn't check up on her. Besides school and work, almost all of his waking hours were spent at Martina's small cottage on the edge of the Burkhart property.

Seven days after Hyde left Jackie on the ground, he was under Martina's sink, fixing a leak. "Almost done," he said.

Martina was sitting at her small kitchen table, holding a cracked mug of hot tea. "You could just go up to see Jackie, you know," she said. "Her father left three days ago."

Hyde clenched his jaw. Not even his daughter getting attacked was enough to make Jack Burkhart stick around. At least Martina could spend more time with Jackie now that Hyde was doing housework for her. "I'll just end up hurting her, Martina." He finally finished with the leak and he slid out from underneath the sink. His arms and back hurt from the awkward position. He turned to wash up. He had to make dinner so Martina would have something to eat when she came back from the mansion that night.

"She's hurting now. She spends most of her time crying about you or being angry about you. She's got a concussion and she's tired of being in bed. She needs some social interaction besides me."

"Donna visited her yesterday."

Martina gave him the same look Red gave Eric when he was being a dumbass. "She misses you, Hyde. And I know you miss her too. You wouldn't be trying to make tamales for me if you didn't."

"Who said anything about trying? My tamales are excellent."

The maid snorted. "They are barely edible, but you're improving. Go talk to Jackie."

"Look, I want to, man. I want to be with her. But I'll end up hurting her. I mean, my dad beat up his high school girlfriend. He also beat up my mom before splitting and leaving her with a kid. I'll probably end up just like that. It's better I quit now when she only has a couple bruises and a mild concussion than when I put her in the hospital."

He grimaced at the thought. It was too easy for him to picture it. Maybe he had too much booze, or he had a bad day of work. Hell, even a bad batch of weed could be enough to send him over the edge. He'd run into Jackie and he'd lose his temper and he'd probably black out until a cop pulled him away from Jackie's broken body on the ground. His stomach churned and pressure built up in his chest. As agonizing as it was, he forced himself to think of that every time he thought about seeing Jackie. He hated that she was crying over him but it was a hell of a lot better than her bleeding over him.

Martina snorted derisively. "If everyone turned out like their parents, I would be a middle class housewife with eight kids. Not a lower class entrepreneur."

Hyde smirked. "Speaking of, if your "garden" ever needs pruning, I can help with that."

She tsked. "Don't even think of it. Your hippie friend has been trying to steal cuttings from my crop for years and I know better than to let any of his associates near it. Everyone knows my weed is better than his."

"I had to try, man. Not for Leo, but for me." He grinned.

Martina snorted. "Perhaps when you learn how to make a decent tamale I'll give you a discount. But I doubt that's likely anytime soon."

Hyde woke up in the middle of the night. He was groggy from the weed he had smoked earlier in the day but there was a huge weight on his hips. As if someone was sitting on them. He tried to reach for the light switch but his hands were stretched over his head and he couldn't move them. They were stuck somehow. Panic welled up inside him. He hated losing control in any way. He had been helpless too much growing up to be okay with it now.

"Steven, it's me," a voice whispered.

"Jackie?" The panic subsided immediately. It was just Jackie. She wouldn't hurt him. "Did you handcuff me to my bed?"

"I guess my mom's presents came in handy after all." She shifted her weight on his hips and Hyde sucked in his breath. She wasn't heavy by any means. But her straddling him was arousing him almost to the point of pain

"You really shouldn't be here, Jackie."

"I don't care. I wanted to talk to you. You should have known you couldn't avoid me forever, Steven."

"Why did you handcuff me to the damn bed?"

"I didn't want you to toss me off your lap and leave me concussed on the floor again."

Hyde grimaced. "Jackie, I'm an asshole. There's nothing to talk about. Find someone better than me."

"Why did you even do that? I was hurt. You left me with the man who hurt me and you didn't even bother to check up on me in person. I can't believe you, Steven."

He clenched his jaw. Why couldn't she just move on? It would be so much better for her if she did. "Believe it. I'm an ass. I'm not worth your time."

"That's not true! I'm not going to give up on you just because you gave up on yourself." She sobbed. Hyde strained at the handcuffs, wanting nothing more than to hold her and comfort her. Hating that he couldn't.

"Jackie, stop. Move on. You can do better than me. You have to know that."

"I want you, _Steven_! I don't care what you think. I want _you_!"

He sighed. "Look, I can't be with you, Jackie. Get whatever you need to out of your system tonight. I'm yours for tonight." He couldn't hurt her tied up. He was willing to do whatever he could to make her stop hurting. There were worse ways to help than being physically helpless.

"I don't want just one night. I want forever." Something hot burned Hyde's chest and he realized Jackie was crying on him.

He steeled himself for what had to come. He wanted Jackie to be his forever more than anything but it wasn't possible. He pictured her on the ground, terrified of him and shielding herself with her arms to prepare for a hit. _I'm just like my father. There is no happy ending for me. But I can save Jackie._ "One night is all we have, doll," he said, his voice breaking. "You said I could go if I wanted to. Just this one night."

Jackie sobbed and took a few deep breaths. Hyde felt like he was slowly dying, hearing her cry. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. "I love you, Steven," she whispered.

He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her vanilla conditioner. "I know, doll," he said. "But you'll find someone better than me. Someone nicer. Someone richer."

"I only want you, Steven. But I won't try to force you. Not anymore." She reached for the handcuffs to release him.

"No, keep them on," Hyde whispered. He wasn't in a violent mood, but risking hurting her, even for one night, made him uneasy.

"You said I could do what I wanted. I want you to touch me, Steven." The handcuffs fell open a second later. Hyde wrapped his arms around her waist. He was kissing her again, trying to memorize how her body felt against his, the smell of her body wash, the feeling of her blouse as it brushed against his bare chest.

Jackie slid down Hyde's sweatpants and reached for his underwear. Hyde didn't object, letting her take control. She wrapped her hand around his cock and gently stroked him. He groaned, pleasure radiating through him at her touch. He could barely believe this wasn't just some really vivid dream. No girl had ever made him feel like that. And she had barely started.

Hyde reached for her and pulled her against his chest. He kissed her thoroughly, teasing her tongue with his own before gently flipping her so she was on her back. He wanted to give her everything he could. She deserved all of it. He only had tonight to give it.

He trailed kisses down her neck. When he reached the neckline of her shirt, she took it off. He reached around to unclasp her bra, and her tiny breasts sprang free. He kneaded one with his hand, flicking his thumb over her nipple while kissing the other one. She whimpered and squirmed under him, which made Hyde's arousal almost unbearable. Every part of him was aching to bury himself in her, but he couldn't. He had to satisfy her, make her feel amazing. He could take care of himself later, after she had gone.

He unbuttoned her pants and slowly lowered them. Jackie kicked them off with her feet. All she was wearing now was a pair of lacy underwear. "Steven," she whispered.

A thrill accompanied by a stab of pain ran through Hyde at the sound of his name from her. He loved how she said it but she would probably never say it again after tonight.

He tried to take off her underwear, but Jackie got impatient and reached down to rip them off herself. She tore through the lace and tossed them aside. Hyde looked up at her, surprised. He never thought Jackie would ever ruin clothes on purpose.

She shrugged. "I knew you weren't going to do it. You're too nice, Steven. But I needed them off."

Hyde parted her legs. "I'm not nice, doll." To prove it, he lowered his face to her pussy and flicked his tongue against her clit, over and over. She cried out before covering her mouth with her hand to smother her moans. She started to writhe under him and Hyde groaned. God, she felt and tasted so good.

Jackie writhed as she climaxed. Hyde gripped her hips to hold her steady as he drank every drop. When she went lax, he gently kissed the inside of her thighs and moved back up so his head was level with hers. He kissed her forehead, trying to memorize how she felt pressed against him, the smell of her hair, and the little sighing sounds she was making. He wanted all of it permanently seared into his brain so he could remember it for the rest of his life.

Her hand wrapped around his cock and he gasped. "Jackie, you don't have to…"

"I want to, Steven." She stroked him and ecstasy radiated through him at her touch. She was going to make him completely lose his sanity just by giving him a damn hand job.

He heard the sound of a wrapper before Jackie sheathed him with a condom. He sucked in his breath as she straddled him and slowly took him inside of her. Hyde let out a low groan. This was pure heaven. Nothing could compare to this. He certainly didn't deserve to be feeling it.

Jackie leaned down and kissed him as she rode him into the best climax of Hyde's life. When he was done and completely drained, Jackie cuddled up next to him and he put his arms around her. "I love you, Steven," she said.

"I know, doll," he whispered. He wished he could deserve her love. He'd give up everything to have her if he thought he could make her happy. But all he would bring her was misery and fear. The best thing he could do for her was let her go.

They made love (there really was no other term for it) throughout the night. Sometimes it was wild and full of need. Other times it was gentle and full of affection.

When the sunrise came, a very reluctant and tearful Jackie left. Hyde walked her to the door and held her for a few more seconds, unable to let her go just yet. "You're going to be fine, man," he said. "You'll find someone better. Someone who can treat you right. He'll buy you presents and listen to your stupid music and be completely devoted to you. Just forget about me, doll, and move on."

"I'm not going to be fine, Steven. Not without you. You're the only one I want and I'll never forget you." She sniffed. Her shoulders shook as she held in sobs. "I'm not going to trap you, though. I-I can't do that."

He held her tighter, wishing he could do something- anything- to make her pain go away. Instead, he forced himself to let go of her. "You should get out of here before the Formans wake up." The words would barely come out of his mouth. Pain stabbed his chest. This was excruciating.

Jackie nodded, resignation on her face. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Goodbye, Steven. I love you."

"Goodbye, Jackie." _I love you._ He knew he meant the words and had to stop himself from telling her at the last minute. If he did, she would never move on. She would always hope they could be together.

He watched her leave, feeling like every single part of him was dying as she disappeared into the morning.

 **A/N: The end. No, no I'm kidding :) I'm not that mean. Sorry for such a depressing chapter, guys. Don't worry, this won't last long and there will be a HEA for them. Thank you so much for sticking with the story this far, I really, really appreciate it. I hope you all have a great day. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

Jackie felt like she was moving through fog. Nothing had ever felt right. Not since her last night with Hyde. She had barely seen him since then. It was like he was avoiding her. As if he really didn't care about her. _I really must be a stupid romantic to think he actually liked me._

Pain stabbed at her chest. Maybe she really was unlovable. Her parents didn't want to be around her. Michael had cheated on her. And now Hyde… She moved to wipe her tears quickly.

"Are you crying?" Donna asked. They were in Donna's room and Donna had been telling her some story about her parents fighting or something. Jackie had barely been paying attention. She couldn't stop thinking about Hyde.

"No," Jackie said. "Sorry. Go on."

"You don't want to interrupt with some lame story about Pam Macy? Something must really be wrong with you."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Sorry I'm trying to be a good friend."

"You're not trying to be a good friend, you're just deflecting. What's going on? Is it Hyde still? You barely even dated him."

"Shut up, _Donna._ I never asked for your opinion."

Donna sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Okay. Fine. Are you coming to my dad's Veteran's Day barbecue tomorrow?"

Jackie frowned. "Wait, why are you guys throwing a barbecue? Don't the Formans throw a barbecue every year?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I don't know why my dad wanted to. He got all weird when I asked him about it. I'm worried it'll become a thing between Eric and me."

Jackie snorted. "That's stupid. I mean sure your dads will be angry at each other but why should you and Eric follow suit?"

Donna nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. Just because our parents will have drama doesn't mean Eric and I will. You actually gave some good advice."

Jackie snorted. "Don't be too surprised." She looked at the clock. It was nearly eight. If she didn't leave now, Donna would get suspicious. Jackie was trying to hide the fact she was home alone _again_ and told Donna her mom wanted her home at a reasonable hour. "I should get going," she said. "But I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Jackie walked out to her dad's Lincoln and opened the car. She froze when she saw a figure staring at her from the Forman's driveway. Hyde was standing there, a trash bag in his hand, his face covered in shadow. He tossed the bag into the trash can and stalked back inside. Jackie forced herself to turn away and go to her car. She wished she could go to him and make him take her back. But she couldn't. He wanted freedom and she wasn't about to make him her slave any longer.

Hyde felt like his heart stopped when he saw Jackie going to her car. He froze, the garbage in his hand as he watched her. She turned at the last second and saw him and he got his first good look at her since their last night together. She was thinner and dark circles were under her eyes. Her arms were crossed protectively over her chest. She looked so sad. So… broken.

Hyde turned away, unable to look anymore. He tossed the garbage in the trash can and left quickly. He walked inside and past Mrs. Forman, who was baking cookies on the stove. He headed to the basement as fast as he could and locked himself in his room before sitting on his bed. These past few weeks without Jackie had been absolute hell for him. He missed their talking and mild bickering, his ability to open up to her, and even her stupid music. He just missed her. And all of that would be worth it if she was happy. The fact that she wasn't made it so much more unbearable.

There was a knock on the door.

"Go away!" Hyde shouted.

"Hyde, open up the door, it's me," Donna said.

He sighed. "Like I said, go away."

The door was wrenched open and Hyde's deadbolt was ripped from the door. Donna stood in the doorway, looking pissed.

"What the fuck? You broke my lock."

"You broke Jackie's heart, so I guess that's karma for you."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, fuck off."

"No, Hyde. Not when Jackie's crying in my bedroom and refusing to talk about it. It's Jackie we're talking about. When she's not talking about it, it's really bad and you know that."

Hyde flinched. He did know that. It was when Jackie didn't want attention or to talk about herself that things were really bad. He forced himself to remember her lying on the ground after getting hit by her father.

Donna sat down next to him. "Look, you're not exactly doing much better than Jackie. What happened between the two of you? It's obvious the two of you still like each other and you're miserable without the other one."

"She'll get over it," Hyde said. "She'll find someone else in like a month or two and she'll be fine again."

"And you?"

He shrugged. "What about me?"

"Will you get over her?"

He shrugged again. He knew he wouldn't, not really. There was no use telling Donna that. Besides, what did it even matter what happened to him?

"I knew it. You're in love with her. She wasn't just a fling for you. You actually care about her."

"No I don't. She sickens me."

Donna rolled her eyes. "You're a horrible liar, Hyde. Why don't you just tell her how you feel? It's obvious she feels the same way about you."

Hyde sighed. "Look, Donna, I can't, all right? She's in love with the idea of me, but not me. I can't be the Prince Charming she wants me to be. I'll just end up hurting her."

"She's hurting now! Damn it, Hyde, how can you not see that?"

"I do! Okay? But she would be hurt a lot worse if I was dating her, all right? I'm not… I'd just hurt her, okay?"

Realization dawned on Donna and she looked at him in disgust. "That has got to be the stupidest thing you've ever said. If you haven't hit her yet, you're never going to hit her."

"Is it really that difficult to imagine? What if I get too drunk or have a bad day? Or we get into a fight and I lose control over my anger?"

"Hyde, when you get too drunk you kind of just get a stupid smile on your face, drool, and fall asleep. I mean sure, you've gotten into a couple of bar fights but you were actually sober then. And Jackie has caused more than a few bad days for you. Did you feel like hitting her then?"

He shrugged. Of course he hadn't. The thought of hitting a girl made him sick. That didn't mean it couldn't happen, though.

"You're causing a hell of a lot more damage by staying away from her than if you were together."

Hyde shook his head and turned away. It was easy for Donna to think that. She didn't know everything that had happened. She didn't know Jackie already got hurt because of him. If Jackie didn't want to tell her then he sure as hell wasn't. "Look, I'm not talking about this. Get out of here."

Donna sighed. "You know what, fine. Don't talk about it with me. But you sure as hell should talk about it with Jackie." She stormed out of the room and Hyde sighed and flopped down on his bed. He knew he was right to stay away from her. Sure, it sucked she was hurting. But Jackie would get over it. She'd find someone else who wasn't a ticking time bomb.

It didn't matter that he would never get over her.

Jackie went to the Veteran's Day barbecue like she promised, but it was difficult. She could see Hyde next door on the porch. His back was turned so she couldn't see his face. He was probably happy, a lot happier than he had been when he was trapped with her.

While most people were switching back and forth between the two barbecues, Jackie decided to stay at the Pinciotti's so she could avoid him.

Donna had actually ignored her for most of the barbecue so Jackie wasn't sure why her friend had invited her over. She was in a state of panicked rage, putting sparklers on hot dogs and going to get beer in glass bottles at the store. She still hadn't explained to Jackie what the hell was going on with her but at the moment Jackie didn't really care. She just wanted to leave and to stop seeing Hyde out of the corner of her eye.

When no one was looking, she grabbed one of the beers out of the cooler and started drinking it. She needed something to make this day better.

Hyde walked around to the backyard after awhile. The barbecue was lame. Everything was lame these days. He wanted to be alone than around a bunch of idiots.

He tried not to look into the Pinciotti's backyard, knowing Jackie was going to be there and he would feel the same stab of pain he was always feeling now when he saw her. Then he heard her slurred voice. "Go away, Chip. You're such an asshole. Go away."

He looked over, anger filling him as he saw Chip approaching a stumbling Jackie who was leaving the crowd to go to the edge of the property. Bob had invited everyone in Point Place to his barbecue, including pieces of shit like Chip.

"Come on, Jackie!" Chip called. "Why are you running? You're drunk. It's not like you can outrun me."

"I don't want you, Chip. I want Steven. I only want Steven." She took another swig from the beer bottle. Chip was only walking closer.

Hyde clenched his hands into fists, anger and fear filling him. He wasn't going to let Jackie get hurt by anyone again. He ran to the other property and quickly got between her and Chip, glaring him down. "Get out of here. Now."

Chip paled under Hyde's look and quickly turned away, heading back to the party.

Hyde turned to Jackie. "You okay?" he asked. But it was obvious she wasn't. She was too tipsy to walk in a straight line. Jackie wasn't used to alcohol and it didn't take much to affect her. "Come on," he said. "Let's get some coffee into you."

"No. I'm not trapping you anymore. You don't have to protect me anymore." She tried to back away but she stumbled and almost fell. Hyde caught her just in time. She leaned into him, her face buried in his chest. "I'm letting you go," she mumbled. "Just as soon as everything stops spinning."

Hyde gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. He couldn't help it. Every part of him wanted to protect her. "Jackie, come on, man. You're not trapping me into anything. Let's get you sobered up." He pulled her into the Forman's house and into the living room before going to the kitchen. Mrs. Forman was cooking.

"Oh Steven, I saw what happened. Is your girlfriend okay?" Mrs. Forman asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "My girlfriend?"

"Yeah. The bossy little mean one you're always hanging around with. Jackie."

Hyde snorted. "She's not my girlfriend," he said softly. He looked at the mugs for a second before grabbing a thermos. Jackie needed to get home and recover instead of accidentally embarrassing herself anymore

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Forman asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

"Yes, I'm sure. She's…" _perfect_ "Rich and mean and shallow- she's everything that I hate."

"But Steven, you hate everything."

"If I like her, shoot me."

She turned to him and pointed a finger gun at him. "Pow!" She laughed and Hyde couldn't help but smirk slightly, the closest he had come to a smile in awhile. At least Mrs. Forman didn't know the truth about him.

"Look, Jackie accidentally grabbed a beer instead of a Coke so I'm going to take her home to recover. I'll be back in about an hour or so to help with the clean-up."

"Oh honey, don't worry about that. Go have fun with your girlfriend."

Hyde poured coffee into the thermos and then put in the cream and sugar that Jackie liked so much. "She's still not my girlfriend." He left to find Jackie still on the couch, her eyes half-closed. Alcohol eventually made her sleepy and it looked like it had reached that stage. "Here," he said, handing her the thermos. "Let's get you home."

"You don't have to take care of me, Steven," she mumbled. "I let you go. I'm no longer trapping you."

"You never trapped me, doll. Not really." Guilt stabbed at him. She thought she was the villain in all this. He'd never meant for that to happen. He pulled her off the couch and ushered her out the door and to the car. She curled up in the front seat and sipped the coffee. Hyde noticed a book at her feet. _How to Please Your Man With Sex_. He winced. Things were worse than he thought if she was reading that shit. How badly had he messed her up? He had been trying to protect her and he still hurt her. Anguish sliced through him and he tried to push it away. He could torture himself later. Right now he had to help Jackie.

By the time they reached the Burkhart mansion, Jackie was slightly more alert. She was able to stand up by herself and stumble a few steps before losing her balance. Hyde quickly caught her. "Easy," he murmured. "I've got you."

"No," she whimpered. "I never wanted to trap you."

Hyde swallowed before picking her up in his arms. "Just relax," he said. "You'll feel better soon."

He carried her up to her room and set her gently on the bed. He wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with her but his rational voice told him to get Martina and leave. "Take it easy," he said. "I'm going to get Martina and she'll take care of you."

Jackie didn't reply.

Hyde jogged down to the housekeeper's cabin and found Martina tending to her "garden" in her closet. He stopped, momentarily amazed by the flourishing marijuana plants lining the walls. "Holy-"  
"Out!" She snapped as she dropped her pruning shears into an empty plant pot. "Don't touch anything."

"Okay, okay." He backed up with his hands up in surrender. "Listen, man, Jackie got really drunk at the Veteran's Day barbecue. I put her in bed, but she's really not feeling well-"

"Go take care of her then."

Hyde sighed. "You know I can't do that."

Martina glared at him. "I've put up with your pathetic excuses long enough, Hyde. You're not an animal, you're a man. You have the ability to control your own actions and you're never going to suddenly lose control and kill Jackie. I don't care what your father did or how many people told you you were a bad person. If there's anything I learned from spending time with you, it's that you're incredibly kind and you practically worship Jackie. She would be lucky to have you. Even if you are a dumbass."

Hyde made a mental note to introduce Martina to Red. "I just make her feel worse about herself. I don't want to hurt her like that."

"It's your distance that hurts her." She shook her head. "Go be with her and both of you will feel better for it. I have a customer coming in half an hour so shoo!"

Hyde sighed. If Martina wasn't able to take care of Jackie then he would have to. He went back to the Burkhart mansion and found Jackie where he'd left her, on the bed. She was crying quietly, her face buried in her pillow. Hyde smiled grimly. "Go away, Steven," she managed to get out between sobs.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Your steps are louder than Martina's. Go away. I'm fine."

"You're not fine, man."

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled. "I'm not going to trap you-"

"You never trapped me," he said. "Ever. Stop saying you did."

She shook her head. "No, I did. I know you never cared about me. I just trapped you and hurt you and- oh Steven, I'm so sorry!"

Staying in the doorway was suddenly too painful for Hyde. He gave into his instincts and sat on her bed, pulling her into his arms. She was too upset and too drunk to resist. She buried her face in his shirt as he held her tighter, gently rubbing her back. "Listen to me," he said firmly. "You never trapped me. I do care about you and that's the only reason why I've stayed. Not because of any mind games you played or any deal I made with your dad. Got that?"

"Stop being nice. I don't deserve it."

"You deserve everything, doll. And I'm not nice."

She turned away from him, wiping her eyes. "I'm tired, Steven. Just leave."

He sighed. "I'm not leaving you like this."

Jackie lied down with her back to him, clearly dismissing him. He sighed and grabbed her quilt from the foot of the bed, draping it over her. He wasn't going to leave her like this. But she did need to sleep off the booze. So he went to the reading chair and sat down. He closed his eyes, preparing to doze as best he could in the upright position.

Jackie woke up feeling numb and definitely hung over. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head.

"Hey," a familiar voice said.

Fuzzy memories came flooding back and mortification set in. "Oh no."

"Feeling better?" His question was full of amusement, but there was also genuine concern under it.

"Define better," she said with a humorless laugh.

"Well, you're at least not crying. That's a good start."

She flinched. She had made a fool of herself in front him. After she had told him that she would leave him alone, too. "You really don't have to stay, Steven. I'm not drunk anymore. I'll sleep off my hangover and be fine."

"No you won't. You haven't been fine for awhile. If you were, then you wouldn't be drunk in the first place. And you certainly wouldn't be reading _How to Please Your Man with Sex_. Damn, Jackie, why are you buying into your mom's crap?"

"It's a lot easier to get better at sex than change my personality." She shrugged. "I don't want to be alone forever, Steven. So I'm going to do something about it instead of feel sorry for myself." Great, now he would feel sorry for her. She didn't want his pity.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Hyde muttered under his breath. Then he spoke louder. "Jackie, your personality is fine. You don't have to change anything about yourself to get people to like you. Hell, I like you and I hate everybody."

She rolled her eyes. "No you don't, Steven. Stop lying to me."

"I'm not lying, man. You didn't trap me into shit. The only reason why I stayed is because I-" he broke off and looked away. "I like you, man," he said quietly.

Jackie shook her head. Something wasn't adding up. "What are you keeping from me?"

"Nothing, man."

She sighed. "If you like me, then why would you tell me to let you go? You wouldn't have said that if I wasn't trapping you-"

"I said what I needed to so you would move on, all right?" He snapped. "I knew that would work and it did. I didn't think you'd torture yourself over it."

"If you liked me then why would you even want me to move on? That doesn't even make sense."

He sighed and looked away. "Look, man, I'm not good for you. I'm just going to hurt you if we stayed need to move on for your own sake. But you never trapped me, okay? You don't need to trap anyone and you sure as shit shouldn't be reading books about how to please men in bed. You don't need any help on that and you're worth more than your body. Anyone who says differently is a piece of shit. And stop torturing yourself. You deserve so much more than to be miserable all the time, man."

"Why do you think you would hurt me. Steven, it makes no sense. You're unbelievably nice to me, you're always there for me, you're so gentle and sweet, and-"

"Jackie, I hurt everyone around me." A muscle twitched in his jaw. "Including you. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten hit. Nor would you have gotten in trouble at school. It's only a matter of time before I hurt you again."

"Without you, Chip would have raped me! Hell, he could have done it again today if you hadn't stepped in and saved me. I know you like to think you're the devil himself-"

"You think I like knowing I hurt everyone? It's killing me knowing I hurt you!" He stood up and started pacing and running his fingers through his hair.

"You didn't hurt me, Steven! God, for someone so smart, you can be unbelievably dense."

"I have hurt you," he said. "And I'll only hurt you worse. I'm just like-"

"Your father?" Jackie got up out of bed and walked over to him until she was only inches away. "You still think you're going to lose control and hit me?"

"It's only a matter of time."

"If you're so sure, then do it, already!"

He froze, his mouth opening in surprise. "What?"

"Hit me! If you do I'll believe you and stay away. That's what you want, right?"

"Jackie, I-"

"Do it!" She planted her palms on his chest and shoved him. He stumbled back a step. "You're angry enough now, right? If you're really capable of it, you'll do it now."

He looked down at her, breathing hard, his hands balled into fists. But there was terror in his eyes, not rage. Hyde swallowed and reached up and gently touched Jackie's cheek.

She didn't even flinch. She knew he wouldn't do it.

"Jackie…" her name was barely a whisper.

"I told you you wouldn't do it."

He leaned down and kissed her. Jackie kissed back eagerly, relief washing over her at having him back. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him toward her, wanting to be as close as possible, to never be apart from him.

Hyde broke off the kiss and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"You're a good man, Steven Hyde. And I love you."

"I love you, too," he said. "I'm sorry. For pushing you away."

"You should be. You made me miserable." She looked up and smiled at him. "But I forgive you. It doesn't matter now."

"I'll never do it again," he said. "I promise."

"I know." She grabbed his hand and led him to the bed. He followed willingly, looking stunned and a little dazed from the emotional turmoil of the last several minutes. She sat down and pulled him down next to her

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"You're exhausted from taking care of me. Now it's time for me to take care of you." She pushed him down so he was lying on the bed and curled up next to him. She kissed his cheek as his arm wrapped her waist. He turned and kissed her slowly and tenderly.

"I love you, doll. More than anything."

"I love you, too." Jackie closed her eyes and smiled, happy that she finally had Steven in love with her as much as she was in love with him.

The End.


End file.
